Palestinian medical authorities have verified that Israel has transferred an additional 15 Palestinian bodies, marking the completion of the recent exchange of corpses under the ceasefire agreement. This development signifies the near conclusion of the initial phase of the accord, with only two bodies of hostages taken at the onset of the conflict still remaining in Gaza.
Following the return of Israeli hostage Dror Or’s remains by Palestinian militants, Israel has now repatriated a total of 345 Palestinian bodies to Gaza since the exchanges commenced last month, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.
Currently, there are two hostages, one Israeli and one Thai national, still held in Gaza. Hamas has affirmed its commitment to honoring the agreement and ensuring the return of both hostages.
In Cairo, Turkish, Qatari, and Egyptian officials convened to discuss the subsequent phase of the ceasefire, which began in October and has held despite mutual allegations of breaches. The forthcoming stages of the agreement involve the deployment of an international stabilization force and the establishment of an international body to govern Gaza and supervise reconstruction efforts.
An international stabilization force will be responsible for maintaining security and overseeing the disarmament of Hamas, a crucial demand from Israel. Indonesia has announced plans to deploy 20,000 peacekeepers to the force. However, uncertainties persist regarding various aspects of the plan and the implementation timeline.
Meanwhile, the majority of Palestinians remain displaced and reliant on humanitarian assistance, with Hamas still exercising significant control over a substantial portion of Gaza while reconstruction efforts lag behind.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has indicated that only 99 out of the 345 bodies returned by Israel have been identified, citing challenges in the identification process due to a shortage of DNA testing kits in Gaza.
Israel mourned the loss of Dror Or, the latest hostage returned by Palestinian militants, who was tragically killed alongside his wife during the conflict. The Hostages Families Forum disclosed that the couple heroically rescued their children from their burning home before being abducted by militants, a decision that saved their children’s lives.
The Forum remembered Or as a dedicated father and skilled cheesemaker who made a significant impact at the Be’eri dairy. The attack on Kibbutz Be’eri that resulted in Or’s abduction and subsequent death led to the war in Gaza, during which Palestinian militants caused extensive casualties and abductions.
With the return of Or’s remains, the majority of hostages or their remains have been extricated from Gaza. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem reiterated the group’s commitment to releasing the remaining two hostages and finalizing the exchange process.
In a plea on his Telegram channel, Qassem urged mediators to pressure Israel to cease its perceived violations of the ceasefire. Tragically, a Palestinian civilian lost his life when Israeli forces opened fire on a group of individuals in central Gaza, with two others sustaining injuries in the incident near the Maghazi refugee camp.
Additionally, the Israeli military reported eliminating one militant from a group of six in Rafah, with the militants suspected of emerging from underground terror networks in the vicinity. Since the ceasefire came into effect, the Gaza Health Ministry disclosed that 345 Palestinians have been killed and 889 wounded in the enclave as of the latest update, with an estimated 70,000 casualties attributed to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.