Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility that Hamas will release the body of another slain hostage on Monday evening.
The terrorist organization is expected to hand over the remains to an International Committee of the Red Cross team inside the Gaza Strip around 8 p.m., the Kan News public broadcaster reported.
On Sunday, Hamas said it had located the body of a hostage and would release it only “if the field conditions are suitable,” amid several hours of renewed fighting with the Israel Defense Forces.
Under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that went into effect last week, Hamas was required to return for burial all 28 hostage bodies it held on Oct. 13. So far, the terrorists have transferred to Israel only 12.
Intelligence gathered by the Jewish state reportedly suggests that Hamas knows of the location of at least four to five additional bodies of captives.
The latest truce deal with Hamas also saw it free the remaining 20 living hostages in exchange for a partial Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and the release from jail of hundreds of Palestinian terrorists.
