Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been allowed beyond the “yellow line” in Gaza to help in the search for hostage remains.
“Israel will maintain overall security control over Gaza, signaling that the Israeli army will continue to oversee security operations even after the current phase of fighting,” the government spokesperson said on Sunday.
On Saturday, Hamas chief Khalil al Hayya said that the group will enter more areas in Gaza to search for the remains of Israeli hostages.
The “yellow line” is an imaginary line separating areas currently occupied by the Israeli army in Gaza from those where it had pulled out.
Since October 13, Hamas has released the 20 living Israeli hostages and returned the bodies of 16 others, leaving 12, as part of a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10.
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.
