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Israel mentioned Monday it had recovered the stays of the final hostage in Gaza, closing a painful chapter for the nation and clearing the way in which for the following and more difficult part of its ceasefire with Hamas.
The most definitely subsequent step can be the reopening of Gaza’s border with Egypt, enabling Palestinians to maneuver in each instructions and for extra support to enter the territory devastated by two years of warfare. The ceasefire additionally requires the deployment of a world safety drive, disarming Hamas, an additional pullback by Israeli troopers and the reconstruction of Gaza.
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.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to as it “an unimaginable achievement” for Israel and its troopers. He mentioned Gvili, who was killed in the course of the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the warfare, was among the many first to be taken into Gaza.
“There aren’t any extra hostages in Gaza,” Netanyahu mentioned Monday whereas addressing the Israeli parliament. “Now we have accomplished this mission, as I promised, and we are going to full the opposite missions we have now set.”
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 part till his stays have been recovered and returned.
Hamas mentioned it now has dedicated to all phrases of the ceasefire’s first part.
The subsequent part 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 20 years.
“What’s the subsequent part? The subsequent part is disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip. The subsequent part is just not reconstruction,” Netanyahu mentioned.
Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Sunday that after 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
Palestinians in Gaza have been optimistic that 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.
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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 strain Israel to permit extra support and caravans into Gaza.
“We have to flip this web page and restart,” he mentioned over the cellphone.
Israel and Hamas had been underneath strain 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 ft within the restoration of the ultimate hostage. Hamas mentioned it had offered all the knowledge it had about Gvili’s stays, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to seek for them in areas of Gaza underneath Israeli navy management.
Gvili’s stays have been discovered proper alongside the “yellow line” dividing Gaza simply on the Israeli aspect, based on a navy official, talking anonymously underneath military protocol.
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 recognized 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 not too long ago in early December. Israel in alternate has launched the our bodies of tons of Palestinians to Gaza.
Palestinians killed in Gaza
Israeli forces on Monday fatally shot a person in Gaza Metropolis’s Tuffah neighborhood, based on Shifa Hospital, which acquired 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 japanese aspect of Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, based on Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which acquired his physique. The circumstances of his demise weren’t instantly clear.
Palestinians in Gaza who spoke to The Related Press in latest weeks questioned whether or not shifting into part two of the ceasefire will enhance situations on the bottom, pointing to ongoing bloodshed and challenges securing primary requirements.
Israel’s offensive has killed greater than 71,400 Palestinians since 2023, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry — with greater than 480 Palestinians killed by Israeli fireplace because the newest ceasefire started. The ministry, which is a part of the Hamas-led authorities, maintains detailed casualty data which can be seen as usually dependable by U.N. businesses and unbiased specialists.
Israel’s high courtroom considers petition to open Gaza for worldwide journalists
The Overseas Press Affiliation on Monday requested Israel’s Supreme Court docket 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 coming 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 supplied journalists temporary, occasional visits underneath strict navy supervision.
FPA attorneys informed the three choose panel that the restrictions will not be justified and that with support employees shifting out and in of Gaza, journalists must be allowed in as properly. In addition they mentioned the tightly managed embeds with the navy aren’t any substitute for unbiased entry. The judges are anticipated to rule within the coming days.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
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