Gaza City: Hamas rejected on Friday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "threats" to make the Palestinian group pay after he accused it of violating the ceasefire by not returning the hostage Shiri Bibas.
"We reject the threats issued by Benjamin Netanyahu as part of his attempts to improve his image," Hamas said in a statement and called on Israeli authorities to return the body of a Gazan woman that the group had handed over on Thursday, claiming it was that of Bibas.
The movement affirmed its "seriousness and full commitment" to its responsibilities under the ceasefire and said it had "no interest in failing to comply or holding on to any bodies."
However, it admitted "the possibility of an error or mix-up of bodies," which it attributed to Israeli bombing of the area where the Bibas family was located along with other Palestinians.
Hamas said it would inform mediators of the results of its "investigation and examination" into the circumstances of the body's return.
The failure to hand over the body and the staged public handover of the four coffins on Thursday, caused outrage in Israel and drew a threat of retaliation from Netanyahu.
"We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages — both living and dead — and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement," he said in a video statement, accusing Hamas of acting "in an unspeakably cynical manner" by placing the body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Bibas.
Netanyahu gave no details of a possible Israeli response, but the incident underscored the fragility of the ceasefire agreement reached with US backing and with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators last month.
Six living hostages are due for release on Saturday in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to Hamas and the start of negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire is expected in the Both sides have repeatedly accused the other of ceasefire violations, with Hamas threatening to delay the release of hostages over what it said was Israel's refusal to allow housing materials and other aid into Gaza, a charge Israel denied.
The Red Cross said it was "concerned and unsatisfied" by the fact that the handover of the bodies had not been conducted privately and in a dignified manner.
One of the main groups representing hostage families said they were "horrified and devastated" by the news that Shiri Bibas' body had not been returned, but called for the ceasefire to continue to bring back all the 70 hostages still in Gaza.
"Save them from this nightmare," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. — Reuters
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
