Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to convene a security consultation later Tuesday to discuss how to respond to Hamas' conduct after the terror organization handed over a body that the National Institute of Forensic Medicine could not identify, with DNA results not matching any of the deceased hostages still in the terror group's captivity.
Netanyahu was testifying Tuesday morning in his trial at the Tel Aviv District Court, and the meeting was expected to occur after the testimony concluded. The prime minister was expected to meet with senior security officials to address Hamas' repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas has yet to return 13 deceased hostages still in its possession. Monday evening, Hamas transferred to the Red Cross, and from there to Israel, the coffin of someone the terror organization claimed was one of the 13 deceased hostages still held.
At the Institute of Forensic Medicine, officials could not identify the deceased, as DNA tests did not match any of those remaining in captivity in Gaza. In light of the developments, Netanyahu was expected to convene a security consultation later Tuesday to discuss how to respond to Hamas' actions.
According to Israeli assessments, Hamas could immediately transfer five deceased hostages to Israeli territory, with several additional deceased hostages recoverable with some effort.
All options under consideration
In recent days, Israel has been examining a series of punitive measures against Hamas for the delay and the delivery of a body that is not one of the 13 hostages, following President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Hamas.
Some of the sanctions include moving the "yellow line" westward – expanding the area of Israeli control, renewed entry to the Netzarim Corridor to restrict Palestinian movement, reducing aid convoys and limiting product entry, and continued closure of the Rafah Crossing.
The measures are being coordinated with the US, which has not ruled out the moves but requested additional time before they are implemented. In talks between Minister Ron Dermer and US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Dermer warned against erosion of the American threat's impact after Hamas violated President Trump's ultimatum.
"Don't let Hamas play cruelly with families of the deceased"
Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves on the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, sent an urgent letter to Netanyahu calling for convening the cabinet to discuss response measures.
Smotrich wrote, "Against the backdrop of Hamas' repeated violations of the ceasefire conditions and the first stage of President Trump's plan and against the backdrop of the lack of progress in dismantling and demilitarizing Gaza, I ask you to urgently convene the cabinet today for discussion to formulate a package of strong and determined responses and to ensure our adherence to the central war objective of destroying Hamas and removing the threat emanating from Gaza toward Israeli citizens."
"We cannot allow Hamas to deceive Israeli citizens and play with cruel cynicism with the emotions of the families of the deceased hostages."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, "The fact that Hamas continues playing games and has not immediately transferred all the bodies of our deceased – this alone shows that the terror organization is still standing on its feet. The time has come to break those legs once and for all."
"Now we don't need to exact a price from Hamas for the violations. We need to exact from it its very existence, and destroy it completely, once and for all – according to the central objective defined for Operation Rising Lion. Mr. Prime Minister, enough hesitating – give the order!"
