JERUSALEM — The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that the remains of a hostage held in Gaza have been turned over and are now in Israel, marking another step forward under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Before this handover, Hamas had returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel as part of the truce that began on October 10. If the newly received remains are confirmed through forensic testing, only seven sets of remains will remain in Gaza.
The ceasefire seeks to bring an end to the deadliest and most destructive conflict ever fought between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier Tuesday, Hamas’ military wing said it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in Gaza and planned to return it. The Israeli military statement did not specify whether the remains received were those of a soldier.
Militant groups in Gaza have been releasing one to three bodies every few days. Israel has pushed to speed up the process, though officials have said some of the remains returned were not those of hostages. Hamas has said recovery efforts are difficult due to the extensive devastation across Gaza.
For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has released the remains of 15 Palestinians. So far, 270 Palestinian bodies have been handed over under the current truce, with fewer than half identified. Forensic work in Gaza remains limited by the lack of DNA testing kits. The Gaza Health Ministry has posted photos of the bodies online to help families identify their relatives.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a large-scale military offensive that killed more than 68,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration but staffed by medical professionals, keeps detailed casualty records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.
Israel has rejected accusations of genocide by a U.N. commission and others, disputing the Gaza Health Ministry’s figures but without providing alternative data.
The United States has circulated a draft proposal at the U.N. Security Council calling for a two-year international stabilization force in Gaza. Two U.S. officials confirmed the draft to The Associated Press, describing it as a preliminary framework for negotiations among council members and partner nations. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
Several Arab and international governments have expressed willingness to join such a stabilization mission but insist on formal U.N. authorization before contributing troops. The proposal has not yet been officially distributed to Security Council members.
Meanwhile, humanitarian efforts continue under the ceasefire. The World Food Program (WFP) said Tuesday it has reached one million people in Gaza with food aid but warned that more border crossings must open to expand deliveries.
“We are still only moving half of what we want to move into Gaza,” said Ross Smith, WFP’s director of emergency preparedness and response. “We need all crossings to be open, and all internal routes accessible. Right now, they are not.”
In the West Bank, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan reaffirmed his country’s support for aid operations, overseeing the latest portion of Singapore’s $24 million contribution to the WFP.
Nearly 40 countries and international organizations now have representatives at a U.S.-led coordination center in Israel that monitors the ceasefire and directs aid to Gaza, the U.S. Central Command said on X.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
