(MENAFN- Live Mint) As Israel presses for the remains of the dead hostages killed over the past two years, Hamas says the bodies cannot be recovered without specialised equipment. The remains of 19 hostages are still unaccounted for, with Hamas saying it would need specialist recovery equipment to retrieve the rest from the ruins of Gaza.

Israel, however, rejects this, accusing the militant group of not trying hard enough to locate the bodies.

The return of all 28 dead hostages is a condition of the US-backed ceasefire deal that came into effect earlier this week. The dispute is among a number of cracks becoming apparent as the deal moves toward its second phase with little detail, including who will fund reconstruction or provide troops to secure Gaza.

A day earlier, Hamas' military wing claimed it had released all the bodies it could – 9 of the 28 reportedly in its custody – stating that“extensive efforts and special equipment” are required to recover the rest.

Israel's bombing campaign has left large parts of the enclave in ruins.

Israel says 'if Hamas is willing to return...'

A senior Israeli official said that if Hamas were willing, all the bodies could be returned. Another official said that Hamas knows where most of the bodies are and mediators must press it to live up to its obligations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas's comments weren't acceptable.“The government and all branches of Israel's national security system are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to bring back all our fallen hostages for proper burial in their homeland,” his office said in a statement.

Also Read | Israeli military claims one of the bodies handed over by Hamas doesn't belong to hostage

"The fight is not over yet, but one thing is clear – whoever lays a hand on us knows they will pay a very heavy price," he said.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had warned Hamas that if it failed to return the remains,“hostilities could resume”.

“If Hamas refuses to uphold the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the US, will return to fighting and act to achieve the total defeat of Hamas,” Katz said in a statement.

Earlier, Donald Trump, too, had said that the“job was not done” as he urged Hamas to release the remaining bodies of deceased hostages.

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said,“ALL TWENTY HOSTAGES ARE BACK AND FEELING AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED. A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!”

Trump also later said that he would consider allowing Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military action in Gaza if Hamas fails to honor its end of the ceasefire agreement.“Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, they'd do that,” Trump told CNN.

He added,“I had to hold them back,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces and Netanyahu administration.“I had it out with Bibi.”

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