Israel has transferred the bodies of 15 Palestinians following the return of an Israeli hostage by Hamas. The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the transfer to Gaza. There are still two hostages’ remains, one Israeli and one Thai national, believed to be in Gaza, with Hamas committed to returning them. Mediators from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt convened in Cairo to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire.
The upcoming stages involve deploying an armed International Stabilization Force (ISF) and establishing an international body to govern Gaza and oversee reconstruction. The ISF’s responsibilities will include maintaining security and ensuring the disarmament of Hamas, a crucial demand from Israel. Indonesian officials have expressed intentions to deploy 20,000 peacekeepers to the ISF.
Numerous uncertainties surround the plan, including the timeline for implementing the delicate ceasefire that has endured despite allegations of breaches by both parties. Under the truce agreement, Israel is to return 15 Palestinian bodies for each recovered hostage. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 345 Palestinian bodies have been repatriated so far, with only 99 of them identified due to a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza.
Dror Or, the latest hostage returned by Palestinian militants, was mourned in Israel. He and his wife, Yonat Or, were killed during an attack by militants on their community in October 2023. The couple saved their children before being killed, and the children were later released in a hostage deal. Or was remembered as a dedicated father, skilled cheesemaker, dairy manager, chef, and yoga teacher.
Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted 251 to Gaza during the conflict, according to Israeli records. With Or’s remains returned, nearly all hostages or their bodies have been accounted for. Hamas has reiterated its commitment to handing over the remaining hostages’ remains and urged mediators to pressure Israel to cease ceasefire violations.
Additionally, on Wednesday, an Israeli military operation in central Gaza resulted in the death of a Palestinian man and injuries to two others. The military targeted militants in Rafah and reported further clashes with alleged terrorists in southern Gaza. Since the ceasefire, casualties in Gaza have included 345 deaths and 889 injuries, with thousands of Palestinians displaced and reliant on humanitarian aid.
In a separate incident, the Israeli military conducted an operation in Tubas, West Bank, aiming to counter terrorist activities. The IDF stated that the operation was in response to attempts to establish terrorist strongholds in the area. Israel has been accused of war crimes in the West Bank, with ongoing military actions and forced displacements drawing international criticism.
