Israel weighs five options if Hamas fails to return hostage remains
Israel is working on alternative options if Hamas does not comply with demands to return the remains of hostages still in Gaza, security establishment insiders say.
Israel is working on five options in case Hamas fails to deliver on returning the hostage remains, insiders within the Israeli security establishment said on Monday.
In no specific order, the five options being explored are: Extending operational control, targeted escalation, hostage remains retrieval operation, diplomatic pressure, and ending existing agreements.
Extending operational control
The first option involves Israel launching operations to expand control over key areas, increasing the percentage of the Gaza Strip with an IDF presence.
Following the policies outlined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, the IDF has been active along the border, targeting and destroying Hamas infrastructure, including terror tunnels.
Targeted escalation
The second option would involve further escalation of Israel’s military efforts within Gaza, targeting Hamas operatives and field commanders. The IDF has already demonstrated this approach by striking a vehicle carrying Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives preparing for an attack.
Palestinians seen carrying out Hamas-controlled excavations in search for remains of slain hostages in the Gaza Strip, October 27, 2025 (credit: TPS-IL)
More aggressive steps could include a return to targeted killings of senior Hamas leadership, who no longer have human shields.
Hostage remains retrieval operations
A third option would be to utilize Israeli intelligence for retrieving the remains, employing air, ground, and land maneuvers. Although such an operation would carry a high risk for IDF personnel and could cause environmental damage, it remains a viable option to pressure Hamas.
Diplomatic pressure
Another option Israel may employ is diplomatic pressure, particularly leveraging the US to apply influence on mediators such as Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, urging them to ensure the return of all hostages.
Such measures would set the stage for Israel to shift to Phase II, including closing border crossings and reducing humanitarian aid and energy supplies to Gaza.
Termination of existing agreements
The fifth option involves the cancellation of all agreements and understandings with Hamas, effectively leading to a resumption of intense fighting across Gaza. While this is not currently seen as a favorable option, it remains a theoretical response should all else fail.
Gunmen stand guard at the funeral of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas deputy military commander who was killed in an Israeli airstrike during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, February 7, 2025. (credit: AGUSTIN MARCARIAN/REUTERS)
Hamas using hostages as bargaining chips?
There are increasing concerns within Israeli circles that Hamas may be using the remains of the fallen as “bargaining chips” and actively misleading Red Cross teams. Israel is contemplating several strategies in coordination with the US to ramp up pressure on Hamas.
Hamas is believed to be well aware of the locations where the remains are buried, while sending Red Cross teams and Egyptian officials to areas unrelated to the real burial sites.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Hamas is operating near the IDF’s border, close to the Yellow Line, complicating the Israeli military’s ability to respond to suspicious movements. In some instances, the IDF has even adjusted its positioning.
