Israel Warns of Military Action if Hamas Fails to Honor Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Terms

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning on Wednesday that military operations would resume if Hamas fails to adhere to the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The warning came after Hamas returned the remains of two more deceased hostages while stating they could not retrieve additional bodies without specialized equipment, falling short of the agreement's requirements.

Since the ceasefire began on Monday under an agreement mediated by US President Donald Trump, Hamas has released 20 living hostages to Israel, receiving nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange from Israeli detention facilities.

Prior to Wednesday's transfer, Hamas had already returned the remains of seven known deceased hostages, plus an eighth body that Israeli authorities indicated was not a former hostage.

"If Hamas refuses to comply with the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the United States, will resume fighting and act to achieve a total defeat of Hamas, to change the reality in Gaza and achieve all the objectives of the war," declared the statement from Katz's office.

Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the two bodies returned would be the last for now, stating: "The Resistance has fulfilled its commitment to the agreement by handing over all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the corpses it could access."

The militant group added, "As for the remaining corpses, it requires extensive efforts and special equipment for their retrieval and extraction. We are exerting great effort in order to close this file."

This development is expected to intensify domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to link humanitarian aid to the return of all hostage remains.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has threatened to suspend critical humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza if Hamas fails to return all remains of Israeli soldiers still held in the Palestinian territory.

Meanwhile, Israel has transferred 90 Palestinian bodies to Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, with 45 being transferred most recently, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. The agreement stipulates that Israel must return 15 Palestinian deceased for each Israeli hostage body returned.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher urged Israel to immediately open all Gaza crossings for humanitarian aid. "It should happen now. We want it to happen immediately as part of this agreement," Fletcher told AFP during an interview in Cairo before his planned visit to the Gaza border.

Despite reports from Israeli public broadcaster KAN that the Rafah crossing to Egypt would reopen, this has not materialized, and Israeli officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Fletcher, who serves as UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, is scheduled to visit the Rafah crossing on Thursday—the only border point connecting Gaza to the outside world without passing through Israeli territory.

"The test is that we have children fed, that we have anaesthetics in the hospitals for people getting treatment, that we have tents over people's heads," Fletcher emphasized.

Gaza's civil defence agency reported that Israeli fire killed three Palestinians on Wednesday, including two who were attempting to reach their homes in Gaza City's Shujaiya neighborhood.

The Israeli military claimed that "several suspects were identified crossing the yellow line and approaching" troops in northern Gaza, referencing the boundary established under the ceasefire agreement. They stated this "violates the agreement" and that "troops removed the threat by striking the suspects."

The conflict, which began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has created a humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The densely populated territory now depends heavily on aid that has been severely restricted or completely blocked at various points throughout the war.

In late August, the United Nations declared a famine in Gaza, although Israel rejected this assessment. Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza specifically addresses the restoration of humanitarian aid.

Another significant challenge remains Hamas's disarmament—a condition the militant group has consistently refused. While Hamas continues to consolidate control over Gaza's devastated urban areas, both Israel and the United States maintain that the organization cannot participate in any future governance of the territory.