JERUSALEM — On Thursday, Israel’s military announced that Palestinian militants transferred two coffins containing the remains of hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza. This handover marks a continuation of the fragile ceasefire agreement, which has been under strain due to recent Israeli airstrikes in the region.

Since the ceasefire began on October 10, militants have returned the remains of 15 hostages, with 13 more still to be recovered. The latest transfer of remains suggests that the ceasefire is still in effect, despite ongoing tensions.

In southern Gaza, officials reported that at least 40 individuals were injured in overnight strikes. Mohammad Saar, head of the nursing department at Nasser Hospital, confirmed that the facility treated 40 wounded patients from the strikes in Khan Younis. The Israeli military stated that it targeted “terrorist infrastructure that posed a threat to the troops” in the area, which is currently under Israeli control.

The ceasefire aims to de-escalate the conflict, which has been described as the deadliest and most destructive war between Israel and Hamas. Following the declaration of the ceasefire on Wednesday morning, Israeli forces conducted retaliatory strikes in response to the shooting death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire terms regarding the handover of hostages' remains. In response, Hamas denied any involvement in the soldier's death and accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire.

During a military graduation ceremony in southern Israel, Netanyahu warned that if Hamas continues to violate the ceasefire, Israel would respond with significant military action. He stated, "At the end of the day, Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized. If foreign forces do this, all the better. And if they don’t, we will do it."