Israel refuses to surrender five bodies of Palestinian militants

The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) group said Sunday that it knows how to bring back the remains of the militants killed in tunnel blast in the Gaza Strip, local source said. Saraya (Brigades) al-Quds, Islamic Jihad armed wing in Gaza said in a short emailed press statement "We will gain back the remains of the martyrs of the tunnel of freedom and we will walk with our foot on the necks of the enemy."
The statement added that "The occupation (Israel) can never compromise and bargain our holy fighters this way." Earlier on Sunday, an Israeli army spokesman announced that its forces found the bodies of four Islamic Jihad militants, who died and were missing in a tunnel underneath the borders between southeast Gaza Strip and Israel last week.
The Israeli army attacked last week the tunnel, killing seven militants; five are Islamic Jihad and two are Hamas militants. Five were missing in the tunnel, and the Islamic Jihad group announce Friday they are dead after all attempts to find them failed.
Hazem Qasem, Hamas spokesman in Gaza said in an emailed press statement that "this is another Israeli crime added to its crimes against our people, besides the killings, the siege and the arrests against our people." He added that "The occupation (Israel) will be totally illusive if by this way it can pressure on resistance. We will keep having all means of power to defend our people against the aggression of the occupation.
Israel has recovered the bodies of five Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants that were buried when the army destroyed a Gazan attack tunnel that crossed into Israeli territory last week, the IDF announced on Sunday.
“During the past few days, the Southern Command and Gaza Division have been operating to finalize the uncovering and destruction of the tunnel that was targeted on October 30, 2017, in Israeli territory,” the army said in a statement.
“During the ongoing work in the area the bodies of five terrorists were uncovered.” The Palestinian Islamic Jihad responded to the announcement, saying that Israel “will not be able to bargain over our fighters.”
“Our battle is open and shall not end. The freedom tunnel is not the only tunnel owned by the Islamic Jihad. It has many tunnels and many options,” warned  Ahmad al-Mudalal, a senior member of the group.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told the al-Shehab news outlet that the Israeli decision would not stop “the resistance from developing its capabilities.”
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, a member of the security cabinet, said that Israel shouldn’t released the terrorists’ bodies, until the two Israeli civilians — Hisham al-Sayed and Abera Mengistu — and remains of two slain IDF soldiers — Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin — that are believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza are returned to Israel.
“Until we get back our dear ones, they won’t get the body of even one terrorist,” Erdan said in a statement.
The Golding family called on Israel not to return the bodies and threatened to take the case to the Supreme Court in order to prevent it.
“Instead of putting a heavy price on Hamas and steamrolling it, they tell us in meetings that the next missiles on Sderot, Ashdod and Ashkelon will be because of the pressure we want put in place. Enough excuses — it’s time for action,” said Goldin’s mother, Lea.
“Israel’s submission to every humanitarian request and the continuation of running ‘day camps’ in prison [for Palestinian inmates] are absurd and represent a white flag of defeat,” said his father, Simcha.
Likud MK Avi Dichter, a former head of the Shin Bet security service, said Israel should use the bodies as a “bargaining chip.”
The five recovered by Israel were apparently diggers who had been working inside the tunnel at the time of the strike. They were found inside Israeli territory, on the Israeli side of the security fence, the army said.
On Monday, the IDF exploded the attack tunnel, which began in the Gazan city of Khan Younis, went under the border and into Israeli territory, near Kibbutz Kissufim.
The tunnel did not yet have an opening, and the IDF said it was monitored from the time it crossed into Israeli territory so it did not pose a threat to civilians.
According to Israeli assessment, 14 terrorists — mostly from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but some from Hamas — were killed in the blast and its aftermath.