Former mediator Bashara Behabah stated this morning that Hamas is 100 percent ready to return all abductees to Israel, but faces logistical challenges in reaching the bodies of victims, according to an interview with radio from Mecca. Behabah conveyed Hamas's message to the White House, explaining that the organization lacks the engineering tools to clear rubble from destroyed buildings, such as a collapsed 7-story structure, to recover bodies. Behabah elaborated that the problem is purely logistical, with bodies buried by Hamas terrorists who were killed, and a need to find a way to locate them. He highlighted that a delegation of 81 people from Turkey, experienced in rubble clearing from earthquakes, is scheduled to arrive in the Gaza Strip. This delegation is expected to assist in determining the locations of both Israeli abductees' bodies and Palestinian bodies within the Strip. This development follows previous reports from October 16th, 2025, where the Israeli government stated Hamas continues to hold the bodies of 21 hostages, which they considered a violation of a ceasefire agreement. The U.S. has previously denied Hamas violated the ceasefire regarding hostage body returns, attributing delays to devastation in Gaza and emphasizing the focus on the release of live hostages. Earlier on October 16th, 2025, alerts were activated in Eilat, Israel, due to a suspected hostile aircraft intrusion, which the IDF and Home Front Command later declared a false alarm. The IDF confirmed the incident was a false identification and under investigation. Additionally, reports surfaced regarding a reserve member of the General Security Service being considered for criminal prosecution for allegedly transmitting confidential information.
