Secretary Rubio called for the return of the bodies of deceased hostages, and said that the US "will not rest until their remains and all others are returned."
"We have a very strong PEACE in the Middle East, and I believe it has a good chance of being EVERLASTING. Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action," Tr
He welcomed the Gaza Peace Agreement and appreciated the roles of the US, Egypt, and Qatar in forging it and also thanked Russia for convening the Open Debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
The remains of two fallen hostages returned from Gaza were identified as Aryeh Zalmanovich and Tamir Adar on Wednesday morning, bringing closure to Kibbutz Nir Oz, where both hostages lived.
Israel on Sunday confirmed that Hamas has handed over two coffins containing the remains of deceased hostages from the Gaza Strip, marking a sombre development in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday (local time) ordered the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to remain closed "until further notice", shortly after the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo announced that the crossing would reopen on Monday, October 20.
Azar, while speaking to ANI on the sidelines of an event commemorating the October 7 massacre, said that he hoped to see peace in their region in the coming years.
US President Donald Trump described Hamas' search for deceased hostages in Gaza as a "gruesome process," with bodies under rubble and in tunnels. He also stressed the need for weapons to be handed over, warning that if they are not, the US will take action.
In a major breakthrough toward ending months of violence, the last 20 remaining hostages held in the Israel-Gaza conflict have been released, reuniting with their families after enduring what Former US President Joe Biden described as "unimaginable hell."
After more than two years of waiting, hoping, and grieving, Israel on Monday welcomed home the last of the 20 living hostages who had been held captive in Gaza since the brutal attacks of October 7, 2023.