Israel is refusing to allow the Turkish rescue mission into Gaza until Hamas returns the bodies of all dead hostages in its possession, with the Israeli government accusing the group of violating the ceasefire and the terms of the swap deal.

An Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post that Israel will continue to deny the Turkish mission of 81 rescuers and their heavy equipment entry into the Gaza Strip until Hamas returns all the bodies.

“There are a number of bodies of hostages that Hamas can return immediately. Another group knows where they are, but they need equipment and help to recover them. And there are some bodies that really don’t know where they are,” said a second source.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel was confident Hamas could easily return a significant number of the bodies of the hostages remaining in Gaza as required by the agreement, adding that “what it is doing now is a fundamental violation of the agreement.”

Israeli Security Council meeting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security council on Thursday to discuss Hamas’ refusal to return the bodies of Israeli hostages and soldiers and the next phase of Trump’s plan.

“I know exactly how many dead soldiers Hamas is holding, and if they don’t hand them over, Israel will know how to respond accordingly,” Netanyahu said.

After the meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call with Donald Trump about Hamas’s delay in returning the bodies of the remaining dead hostages to Gaza.

In Israel, officials are expected to give the US administration more time to put pressure on mediators, who in turn will pressure Hamas, before Israel takes further steps.

According to the same sources, mediators argue that heavy equipment and specialized teams are necessary to retrieve them.

“Some bodies are buried deep in the ground, others are near unexploded rockets, and Hamas cannot recover these remains without help,” said a source involved in mediation efforts.

“We agree with Israel that Hamas knows where some of the dead hostages are, but simply cannot get to them without support,” the same source added.

Despite statements by senior Israeli officials that Phase Two of Trump’s plan will not be discussed until all hostages are returned, the United States and other countries are continuing consultations on the issue.

Two sources with knowledge of the discussions told The Jerusalem Post that senior US, European and Arab officials are expected to meet in Egypt in the coming days to discuss the plan.

“There must be no loophole to allow Hamas to strengthen,” Western diplomats told the newspaper.