The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, announced on Saturday evening that it had handed over the bodies of two Israeli captives as part of the first phase of the ongoing prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

In an official statement, the Brigades confirmed: “As part of the Al-Aqsa Flood prisoner exchange deal, we handed over the bodies of two Israeli occupation captives, which were extracted today in the Gaza Strip at 10 p.m. Gaza time.”

The move comes under the framework of the ceasefire currently holding in Gaza, which aims to facilitate humanitarian relief, prisoner exchanges, and the recovery of bodies from areas devastated by months of relentless Israeli bombardment.

The Qassam Brigades underscored their full commitment to upholding the terms of the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of captives and the recovery of remains. The group emphasized that its field teams continue intensive operations to locate and retrieve the remaining bodies of captives, despite facing severe logistical and technical challenges due to widespread destruction caused by Israeli attacks.

“The remaining bodies require significant effort and special equipment to search for and retrieve them, and we are making a great effort to close this file,” the statement read.

The gesture is viewed as another demonstration of the Palestinian resistance’s seriousness in honoring the humanitarian clauses of the agreement, even as Israel continues to obstruct and politicize implementation measures related to the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, resistance operations in the occupied West Bank have continued, with three Israeli soldiers reportedly wounded in an attack by Palestinian fighters in the city of Tubas.

Analysts have pointed out that despite Israel’s claims of military success, international observers increasingly recognize that Tel Aviv has failed to dismantle the Palestinian resistance. As The National Interest recently noted, “Israel did not defeat Hamas — it certified them,” acknowledging the endurance and operational resilience of the Palestinian resistance movement after a year of fierce confrontation.

The developments mark another step in the ongoing process of exchange and recovery under the Al-Aqsa Flood ceasefire deal, reflecting the determination of the Palestinian resistance to uphold its obligations while defending its people’s rights and dignity amid the ruins of Gaza. (ILKHA)