Egyptian Teams Enter Gaza To Assist Locating Bodies Of Israeli Hostages

An Egyptian engineering team entered the Gaza Strip with Israel's approval to assist in locating the bodies of Israeli captives believed to be buried under rubble, marking the first foreign involvement permitted by Israel in this effort. This move comes amid significant technical challenges in Gaza due to equipment shortages and extensive destruction, which have hampered recovery operations. The deployment is part of the Gaza agreement, initiated by US President Donald Trump, which includes a ceasefire, humanitarian aid delivery, and the return of captives and prisoners. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, authorized the mission, emphasizing its technical nature and the urgency to recover the remaining 13 bodies believed to be in Gaza. Hamas has been accused by Israel of delaying the process to extend the ceasefire without progressing to disarmament, while Hamas cites ongoing Israeli strikes and restrictions on heavy machinery as obstacles. Coordination between Israel and Egypt has intensified, with both sides exchanging information based on Hamas' intelligence, although the return of remains has yet to occur despite reports suggesting possible imminent transfers.