ALBAWABA - The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, have issued clear public statements indicating that they consider the file of Israeli captives’ bodies effectively closed, a move analysts say carries significant political weight amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations over Gaza.
The statements were released as Israel’s security cabinet convened to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing and advancing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. According to political analyst Bilal Al-Shobaki, the timing suggests an attempt by Al-Qassam to remove what has long been used as an Israeli justification for delaying broader implementation of the deal.
Al-Shobaki said the message from Al-Qassam is that continued references to the captive bodies issue are no longer credible. He noted that while Hamas and other factions are politically committed to resolving the matter, practical obstacles remain due to security risks and the extensive destruction across Gaza, which complicates recovery efforts on the ground.
Earlier, Al-Qassam spokesperson Abu Ubaida stated that the group had already handed over all living captives and all bodies in its possession without delay, despite what he described as repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire. He stressed that the process was conducted transparently and in accordance with the agreement’s terms.
Israeli military sources confirmed that search operations are ongoing in Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood for the remains of one final Israeli captive, following intelligence information provided to mediators. Analysts argue this reinforces Al-Qassam’s claim that it has fulfilled its obligations to the extent possible.
Al-Shobaki warned that revisiting the issue risks being used to stall progress on more substantive matters, including ending the war, easing humanitarian conditions, reopening Rafah, and beginning reconstruction efforts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly conditioned the second phase of the ceasefire on the recovery of the final body and the disarmament of Hamas, positions that critics say could prolong the stalemate.
According to analysts, Al-Qassam’s statements are directed less at Israel and more at international mediators and the United States, urging them to prevent the captive file from becoming a permanent obstacle to implementing the broader agreement.
