Hamas Warns that Closure of Rafah Border Crossing will Delay Return of Israeli Hostage Remains

Hamas expressed their concerns on Oct 19 about the prolonged closure of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip by Israel. They stated that this closure will impede the recovery operations and delay the handover of the bodies of Israeli hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government’s decision to keep the crossing closed has raised tensions between the two parties. The closure is hindering crucial operations to return the remains of the Israeli hostages to their families.