Families of dead hostages urge US 'to pull out every stop' to find them

The families of the missing dead Israeli hostages have written to the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to urge him to "pull out every stop" in forcing Hamas to bring their relatives' bodies home from Gaza.

- Daniel Boffey

A rally in Tel Aviv calling for the return of all hostages as mediators say that Hamas is having trouble locating the bodies of deceased hostages

(YAEL GUISKY ABAS/SOPA IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK)

The return of 28 dead hostages was part of the agreement that ushered in a ceasefire, but only four have so far been handed over.

Mediators understand that Hamas is having trouble locating all of the dead but the Israeli government believes the group is making insufficient effort, although Israeli media reported last night that Hamas had told mediators that they would hand over a further four bodies within hours. The families of the dead have demanded solidarity over the fate of their loved ones.

Yael Adar, the mother of Tamir Adar, 38, whose body was taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz during the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel, described the lack of a handover as a betrayal by Benjamin Netanyahu's government. "The struggle is not over until the last captive returns," she said.