DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With the remains of one hostage still in Gaza, the first phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas is nearly complete, after a two-month process plagued by delays and finger-pointing.

The fragile Israel-Hamas truce has reached an inflection point as the cease-fire deal hinges on the release of all hostages before it can move on to the next phase, but the terror group claims it can’t find the body of the final captive.

Tensions are rising once again after Israel firmly rejected Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal’s suggestion of a temporary “weapons freeze” in Gaza, insisting that the US-backed peace plan requires full disarmament of the group.

Khaled Meshaal tells Al Jazeera group seeks US approval for disarmament plan, a sticking point in phase 2 of ceasefire.

Israel started tightening the noose in May with an effort to flush out militants and destroy the extensive tunnel system where Hamas has hidden fighters, hostages and weapons throughout the conflict. The strategy was to cut off sections of the underground web from one another, said Israeli military officials.

A cease-fire after two years of war with Israel has allowed Hamas to tighten its grip on power again. “It’s still standing,” one Israeli official said.