CAIRO, February 7. /TASS/. The bodies of a number of Israeli hostages are buried under the debris in the Gaza Strip and special equipment will be needed to retrieve them, Gaza’s authorities said.
"Hamas fighters cannot recover the bodies of some of the hostages, who died from Israeli bombardments, from under the rubble because of the ban on the delivery of heavy vehicles and equipment to the enclave," they said in a statement posted on their Telegram channel. They did not say, however, where exactly the deceased Israeli hostages were.
Currently, building machinery, such as bulldozers, are supplied to Gaza by Egypt but on condition that such vehicles are to be operated by Egyptians.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said late on January 15 that thanks to the mediatory efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held in the enclave. During the first 42-day phase of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages in exchange for Israel freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The agreement came into effect on January 19.