Israel recovers last hostage body from Gaza
Israel has recovered the remains of the last hostage, Ran Gviri, from Gaza, beginning the next phase of an agreement to end the war.
CAIRO – Israel has released the bodies of 15 Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza, three days after recovering the remains of the last hostage, a move that mediators hope will pave the way for implementing the next phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
Police officer Ron Gviri was one of 251 hostages captured by Palestinian Hamas militants and taken to Gaza during the cross-border attack that sparked the war on October 7, 2023.
At the time of the October ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, there were 48 hostages left in Gaza, 28 of whom were believed to have died, including Gviri.
Handing over all remaining living and dead hostages was a core promise included in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Subsequent steps have not yet been achieved, and there is deep disagreement about what comes next, including the disarmament of Hamas.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that Israel facilitated the return of the 15 dead Palestinians to Gaza after recovering Ghviri’s body.
Months of body recovery work
“This marks the end of a months-long operation to reunite families and support the implementation of ceasefire agreements,” the ICRC statement added.
The operation began in October with the release of 20 live hostages by Hamas and 1,808 Palestinian prisoners by Israel, according to the ICRC. In subsequent stages, the ICRC facilitated the repatriation of the dead, including 27 of the 28 hostages and 360 Palestinians.
ICRC Regional Director Julian Lelison said: “We are relieved to be able to help reunite families with their loved ones. We hope that for families whose deceased relatives have been returned, this will provide an opportunity for full mourning.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry, run by Hamas, confirmed it had received the bodies of 15 people and said it would work to identify them.
It added that only 99 Palestinian bodies handed over since October have been identified, forcing health authorities to bury unidentified bodies in mass graves.
fragile ceasefire
In the latest violence to undermine the fragile ceasefire, medics said two men were killed by Israeli forces in eastern Khan Yunis, which borders an area of military operations.
The Israeli military said it “carried out precise strikes in accordance with the ceasefire agreement” targeting militants planning attacks on its forces.
“Prior to the attack, measures were taken to reduce the damage to civilians,” the military said in a statement.
Gaza’s health ministry says at least 490 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, tank shelling and gunfire since a cease-fire took effect in October after a two-year war that has left widespread destruction in the Palestinian enclave.
Later that day, an Israeli airstrike killed at least one Palestinian and injured others at the Maghazi camp in central Gaza. The trigger for the attack is unclear, and the Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment.
Israel says four soldiers were killed by Palestinian militants in a small coastal territory during the ceasefire.
The two countries have exchanged accusations over ceasefire violations.
By proceeding to the second phase, the United States and mediation partners Egypt and Qatar will have to face the more contentious issue of disarming Hamas, which the group has long rejected. The plan also calls for the dispatch of an international peacekeeping force.
