JERUSALEM (AP) — The stays of the ultimate hostage in Gaza have been recovered, Israel’s navy mentioned Monday, clearing the best way for efforts to rebuild Gaza and disarm Hamas within the subsequent part of the ceasefire that paused the Israel-Hamas war.
The announcement that the stays of police officer Ran Gvili had been discovered and recognized got here a day after Israel’s authorities mentioned the navy was conducting a “large-scale operation” in a cemetery in northern Gaza to find them.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to as it “an unbelievable achievement” for Israel and its troopers, telling Israeli media that “I promised we might convey everybody house and we now have introduced everybody house.” He mentioned Gvili, who was killed throughout the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the warfare, was among the first to be taken into Gaza.
The return of all remaining hostages, dwelling or useless, has been a key a part of the Gaza ceasefire’s first part. Gvili’s household had urged Israel’s authorities to not enter the second phase till his stays have been recovered and returned.
Hamas mentioned it now has dedicated to all phrases of the ceasefire’s first part.
The second part of the ceasefire will confront thornier points, together with transitioning to a brand new governance construction in Gaza and disarming Hamas, which has dominated the territory for practically twenty years.
Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Sunday that when the seek for Gvili was completed, Israel would open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which Palestinians see as their lifeline to the world. It has been largely shut since Might 2024, apart from a brief interval in early 2025.
Palestinians react to restoration of final hostage’s stays
Oded Balilty by way of Related Press
Palestinians in Gaza mentioned Monday that they hope the restoration of the stays will result in the opening of Rafah crossing and permit journey to and from Gaza together with the evacuation of individuals needing medical care.
“We hope this may shut off Israel’s pretexts and open the crossing,” mentioned Abdel-Rahman Radwan, a Gaza Metropolis resident whose mom is a most cancers affected person and requires remedy exterior Gaza.
Ahmed Ruqab, a father who lives together with his household of six in a tent within the Nuseirat refugee camp, referred to as for mediators and the U.S. to stress Israel to permit extra help and caravans into Gaza.
“We have to flip this web page and restart,” he mentioned over the cellphone.
Israel and Hamas had been underneath stress from ceasefire mediators together with Washington to maneuver into the second part of the U.S.-brokered truce, which took impact on Oct. 10.
Israel had repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its toes within the restoration of the ultimate hostage. Hamas mentioned it had offered all the data it had about Gvili’s stays, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to seek for them in areas of Gaza underneath Israeli navy management.
Israel’s navy had mentioned the large-scale operation to find Gvili’s stays was “within the space of the Yellow Line” that divides the territory.
The October 2023 assault on Israel that launched the warfare killed about 1,200 folks and noticed 251 taken hostage. Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer identified affectionately as “Rani,” was killed whereas combating Hamas militants.
Earlier than Gvili’s stays have been recovered, 20 dwelling hostages and the stays of 27 others had been returned to Israel because the ceasefire, most lately in early December. Israel in trade has launched the our bodies of tons of Palestinians to Gaza.
Palestinians killed in Gaza
Khames Alrefi/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
Israeli forces on Monday fatally shot a person in Gaza Metropolis’s Tuffah neighborhood, in keeping with Shifa Hospital, which obtained the physique. The person was near an space the place the navy has launched the search operation for Gvili, the hospital mentioned.
One other man was killed within the jap aspect of Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, in keeping with Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which obtained his physique. The circumstances of his loss of life weren’t instantly clear.
Palestinians in Gaza who spoke to The Related Press in latest weeks questioned whether or not transferring into part two of the ceasefire will enhance circumstances on the bottom, pointing to ongoing bloodshed and challenges securing primary requirements.
Israel’s offensive has killed greater than 71,400 Palestinians since 2023, in keeping with Gaza’s Well being Ministry — with greater than 480 Palestinians killed by Israeli hearth because the newest ceasefire started. The ministry, which is a part of the Hamas-led authorities, maintains detailed casualty information which might be seen as typically dependable by U.N. businesses and unbiased consultants.
Israel’s prime court docket considers petition to open Gaza for worldwide journalists
Baris Seckin/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
The International Press Affiliation on Monday requested Israel’s Supreme Courtroom to permit journalists to enter Gaza freely and independently.
The FPA, which represents dozens of worldwide information organizations, has been combating for greater than two years for unbiased media entry to Gaza. Israel has barred reporters from getting into Gaza independently because the 2023 assaults by Hamas, which triggered the warfare, saying entry might put each journalists and troopers in danger.
The military has provided journalists transient, occasional visits underneath strict navy supervision.
FPA legal professionals advised the three decide panel that the restrictions will not be justified and that with help staff transferring out and in of Gaza, journalists must be allowed in as nicely. Additionally they mentioned the tightly managed embeds with the navy are not any substitute for unbiased entry. The judges are anticipated to rule within the coming days.
