Israel allows Red Cross, Egyptian teams into Gaza to search for hostage bodies

Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been allowed beyond the "yellow line" in Gaza to help in the search for hostage remains, a government spokesperson said Sunday.

"Israel will maintain overall security control over the Gaza Strip, signaling that the Israeli army will continue to oversee security operations even after the current phase of fighting," added the spokesperson.

The "yellow line" is an imaginary line separating areas currently occupied by the Israeli army in Gaza from those where it had pulled out.

Under the ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10, Israel has released 20 living hostages and the bodies of 16 others. The remains of 12 captives remain in the enclave.

On Saturday, Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya said that his group will enter more areas in the Gaza Strip to search for the remains of Israeli hostages.

Phase one of the ceasefire deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages rebuilding Gaza and establishing a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

The Israeli genocidal war has killed over 68,000 people and injured more than 170,000 others since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.