Israel has recovered a body from Gaza, identified by Hamas as one of the last two deceased hostages. The Israeli military, supported by the Red Cross, will conduct forensic tests on the body. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned a militant attack that injured five Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza and vowed a response. Israel retaliated with an airstrike on a Hamas militant in southern Gaza.
In a separate incident, Hamas handed over remains on Tuesday, which were confirmed not to belong to any hostage. The return of the final two hostages’ bodies in Gaza is a crucial step in fulfilling a condition of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the two-year Gaza conflict, which includes reopening the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
Israel has kept the Rafah crossing closed since October, insisting on the return of all hostages, living and deceased, as per the ceasefire agreement. Hamas has already returned 20 living hostages and 26 bodies in exchange for Palestinian detainees. However, two deceased captives, an Israeli police officer and a Thai worker, remain in Gaza.
The armed wing of the Hamas-allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement discovered a hostage body in northern Gaza and handed it over to the Red Cross. The two remaining deceased hostages are Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer, and Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai national, both abducted during a 2023 Hamas attack.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing will be coordinated with Egypt by COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian issues. The crossing was a vital point for Palestinians in Gaza before the conflict, facilitating aid and travel. Thousands of Gazans require medical care outside the region, with limited access due to the closed crossing.
Since the ceasefire, there have been continued clashes between Israel and Hamas, with accusations of violations from both sides. Health officials reported Palestinian casualties in Gaza due to Israeli actions, while Israel investigates these incidents. The conflict has claimed over 350 Palestinian lives and three Israeli soldiers since the ceasefire began.
The war in Gaza erupted in 2023 following a deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, resulting in numerous casualties and hostages. The ongoing violence has led to a significant death toll in Gaza, mainly affecting civilians.