Jerusalem could potentially use the return of terrorists’ bodies as leverage during negotiations to release hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip.
By World Israel News Staff
More than three days after a surprise attack by the Hamas terror group devastated Israel, leaving over 900 people dead, the Israeli army announced that it has gained full control of the border with Gaza.
Additionally, the army said in the statement, the military has custody of the bodies of more than 1,500 terrorists.
Those terrorists entered the country during numerous cross-border raids, with some traveling through holes in the fence created by bulldozers and explosives, while others paraglided into Israel.
“In the last day, not a single terrorist entered via the [Gaza border] fence,” said Israel Defense Forces’s spokesman Daniel Hagari.
Noticeably absent from the army statement, however, was confirmation that there are no additional live terrorists on Israeli soil.
On Monday evening, one Israeli soldier was killed and five were wounded during a gun battle with a group of terrorists who had crossed into Israel from Lebanon, along the country’s northern border.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, police pursued a terrorist who was traveling near Mishmar HaNegev, some 15 miles (24 kilometers) away from the Gaza border. The terrorist was shot and killed.
At least one other terrorist was killed while exchanging fire with IDF soldiers at Kibbutz Sa’ad, along the Gaza border.
The Hamas terror group is currently holding some 130 people hostage in the strip, mostly Israeli citizens but also including American, British, French, Russian, German, Mexican, Thai, and Nepalese nationals.
That number of captives likely include both live hostages and dead bodies.
With some 1,500 terrorists’ corpses in Israeli custody, Jerusalem could potentially use the return of those bodies as leverage during negotiations to release hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip.
On Monday evening, a Hamas official threatened to begin killing hostages if the Israeli Air Force does not cease airstrikes in the coastal enclave.
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