Aid trucks have rolled into the Gaza Strip and Israel resumed preparations to open the main Rafah crossing despite a dispute over the return of the bodies of dead hostages.

Israeli authorities had threatened to keep Rafah shut and reduce aid supplies because Hamas was returning bodies too slowly, showing the risks to a truce that has stopped two years of devastating warfare in the strip and resulted in all living hostages held by Hamas being freed.

However, the militant group returned more Israeli bodies overnight and an Israeli security official said on Wednesday preparations were under way to open Rafah to Gazan citizens while a second official said that 600 aid trucks would go in.

Hamas returned four bodies confirmed as dead hostages on Monday and another four bodies late on Tuesday

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