Israeli intelligence believes the terror group knows the location of at least eight bodies and still has access to most of the others, some hidden in fortified tunnels.

By The IDF Club

Israeli forces are conducting extensive searches in the Gaza Strip to locate the remains of hostages murdered by Hamas and left behind as the terror group retreated following the IDF’s renewed ground operations earlier this year.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli officials believe that the bodies of several slain hostages may be in areas now under IDF control.

After the recent ceasefire deal, the army withdrew from about a quarter of Gaza but continues to hold more than half of the territory, divided by the so-called “Yellow Line” separating Israeli- and Hamas-controlled zones.

Hamas had agreed to return all 48 remaining hostages — 20 living captives and 28 bodies — by October 13, but has yet to hand over the remains of 13 of them.

Israeli intelligence believes the terror group knows the location of at least eight and still has access to most of the others, some hidden in fortified tunnels.

Egyptian and Red Cross teams have joined the search efforts inside Gaza with Israel’s approval. An Israeli official confirmed that “the team and the machinery entered the Gaza Strip as part of the ongoing efforts to recover the hostages and the fallen.”

President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Hamas on Saturday, demanding the immediate return of additional hostages.

“Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

IDF Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder recently shared detailed findings with American officials identifying possible burial sites in Gaza. Israeli media reported that Jerusalem approved the entry of the foreign teams under U.S. pressure, as Washington seeks to maintain calm following Trump’s warning to Hamas.