Israel has announced that the remains of the last hostage, Ran Gvili, have been recovered from Gaza, paving the way for the next phase of a ceasefire with Hamas. The recovery comes after Israel's military conducted a large-scale operation in a cemetery in northern Gaza to locate Gvili's remains.
The return of all remaining hostages, living or dead, has been a key part of the Gaza ceasefire's first phase, which began on October 10. Gvili's family had urged Israel's government not to enter the second phase until his remains were recovered and returned.
Israel had repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its feet in the recovery of the final hostage, while Hamas said it had provided all the information it had about Gvili's remains and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to search for them. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire since its implementation, resulting in dozens of Palestinian deaths, including three journalists killed in an Israeli strike last week.
The recovery of Gvili's body has been welcomed by Hamas as a confirmation of the group's commitment to the terms of the agreement to halt the war on Gaza. However, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem has called on mediators, particularly the US, to compel Israel to stop its alleged violations of the ceasefire and implement its obligations.
The recovery of Gvili's remains brings the total number of returned hostages to 20 living individuals and 27 others who have been identified, while Hamas-run Gaza's Ministry of Health estimates that over 71,000 people were killed during the war. The next phase of the 20-point ceasefire plan calls for creating an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and disarming Hamas.
US President Donald Trump has warned that if Hamas refuses to disarm in line with the agreement, "there will be hell to pay." Meanwhile, Trump has launched his new International Board of Peace initiative, inviting dozens of nations to join his administration on a mission to end conflicts in the Middle East. However, European nations and major rival powers China and Russia have declined to join the board, adopting a wait-and-see approach to the initiative.
The return of all remaining hostages, living or dead, has been a key part of the Gaza ceasefire's first phase, which began on October 10. Gvili's family had urged Israel's government not to enter the second phase until his remains were recovered and returned.
Israel had repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its feet in the recovery of the final hostage, while Hamas said it had provided all the information it had about Gvili's remains and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to search for them. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire since its implementation, resulting in dozens of Palestinian deaths, including three journalists killed in an Israeli strike last week.
The recovery of Gvili's body has been welcomed by Hamas as a confirmation of the group's commitment to the terms of the agreement to halt the war on Gaza. However, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem has called on mediators, particularly the US, to compel Israel to stop its alleged violations of the ceasefire and implement its obligations.
The recovery of Gvili's remains brings the total number of returned hostages to 20 living individuals and 27 others who have been identified, while Hamas-run Gaza's Ministry of Health estimates that over 71,000 people were killed during the war. The next phase of the 20-point ceasefire plan calls for creating an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and disarming Hamas.
US President Donald Trump has warned that if Hamas refuses to disarm in line with the agreement, "there will be hell to pay." Meanwhile, Trump has launched his new International Board of Peace initiative, inviting dozens of nations to join his administration on a mission to end conflicts in the Middle East. However, European nations and major rival powers China and Russia have declined to join the board, adopting a wait-and-see approach to the initiative.
. and omg dont even get me started on trump trying 2 make a new board to end conflicts lol like isnt that whats the whole point of diplomats? 
they're literally crying every day waiting for their love one's remains to be found but at the same time their 2 kids are having to live without a parent it's just so sad 
my heart goes out to them... and btw i heard that hazem qassem is trying to get the US to step in on this thing like he's literally begging for help 
meanwhile trump is all "there will be hell to pay" lol what does he even mean by that 
anyway i feel bad for the people of gaza they've been through so much and it's just not fair 
The whole situation with Israel and Hamas has been super complicated for ages, but I think this is a huge step forward... or maybe just a minor victory for Israel, depending on who you ask 
. I mean, recovering Ran Gvili's remains is like, check off that box right? But what really gets me is the whole "hell to pay" thing from Trump... dude, isn't that kinda rich coming from him? 
I mean, Trump might not be perfect, but this initiative could actually make a real difference in the region. And what about all these nations that have declined to join? Are they just waiting for things to blow up again? 
i heard trump saying there will be hell to pay if hamas doesnt disarm but honestly who cares about that when people are still dyin 
on both sides anyway lets just focus on the good news and get ready for phase 2 of the ceasefire 
. What's really going on here is that both sides are just trying to save face after a bloody war. Hamas' claim of providing all info about Gvili's remains doesn't sit right with me either 
. If Trump wants to make an impact, he needs to back it up with real action, like economic aid or military support for the Palestinian government. But I guess that's too much to ask from a country with a history of backing its allies over its enemies 
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. What we need is concrete actions and international pressure to hold both sides accountable. And let's not forget that China and Russia aren't exactly known for their peaceful intentions 
.