Netanyahu and Kushner meet as Gaza ceasefire's first part winds down

[ad_1] DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to debate the following levels of the delicate Gaza ceasefire, whereas Israel returned the stays of one other 15 Palestinians.

The stays of four hostages are nonetheless in Gaza after Palestinian militants launched the stays of one other on Sunday.

The primary stage of the ceasefire agreement that took impact on Oct. 10 is nearing its finish. The following stage requires the implementation of a governing physique for Gaza and the deployment of a global stabilization power. It's not clear the place both stands.

Israel ended the earlier ceasefire settlement earlier this yr after a interval of exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners. On the time, mediators had been unable to deliver Hamas and Israel to the desk to barter a troop withdrawal and a plan for the longer term governance of Gaza.

Additionally on Monday, the Israeli navy launched the outcomes of a evaluate into the failures surrounding the Oct. 7, 2023, assault that began the conflict, saying it had discovered shortcomings in a sequence of earlier investigations.

The newest change of our bodies For every Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the stays of 15 Palestinians — an change central to the ceasefire’s first part. The Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned the entire variety of stays obtained is now 315.

Solely 91 have been recognized, the ministry mentioned. Forensic work is difficult by an absence of DNA testing kits in Gaza. The ministry posts pictures of the stays on-line within the hope that households will acknowledge them.

One mom waited at Nasser Hospital within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, questioning whether or not her lacking 15-year-old son was among the many new stays returned. He disappeared whereas on the best way to high school on Oct. 7, 2023.

“Rayyan has been lacking for 2 years. I don’t know his destiny, whether or not he’s nonetheless alive or lifeless,” mentioned Shaima Abu Ouda, including that he vanished close to the wall separating Gaza and southern Israel. Her husband and eldest son had been killed throughout the conflict.

On Sunday, Israel confirmed it had obtained the stays of Hadar Goldin, a soldier killed within the Gaza Strip in 2014, closing a painful chapter for the nation. The 23-year-old was killed two hours after a ceasefire took impact in that yr’s conflict between Israel and Hamas.

His stays had been the one ones left in Gaza predating the present war between Israel and Hamas . A funeral was scheduled for Tuesday.

Round 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, had been killed within the 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel, and 251 individuals had been kidnapped.

On Saturday, Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned the variety of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 69,176. Its depend doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, however the ministry says greater than half of these killed had been girls and kids.

The ministry, a part of the Hamas-run authorities and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed data considered as usually dependable by impartial specialists.

US officers attempt to push ceasefire ahead Netanyahu and Kushner mentioned the progress and way forward for the ceasefire, mentioned Israeli authorities spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian.

The deal has targeted on the primary part of halting the preventing, releasing all hostages and boosting humanitarian support to Gaza. Particulars of the second part haven’t been labored out.

The United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, mentioned on Monday that greater than 1 million Palestinians in Gaza have been fed because the ceasefire started, and that winter garments and blankets are being distributed.

“However many obstacles stay,” Fletcher mentioned, citing pink tape and too few entry factors to deliver further support into Gaza. “We will do far more to save lots of many extra lives.”

For his half, Kushner additionally was serving to to guide negotiations to safe protected passage for 150-200 trapped Hamas militants in change for surrendering their weapons after the discharge of Goldin’s stays, based on somebody near the negotiations who spoke on situation of anonymity to explain the talks.

Bedrosian didn't say the place these negotiations had been headed.

Hamas has made no touch upon a doable change for its fighters caught within the so-called yellow zone of territory managed by Israeli forces, although it has acknowledged that clashes had been happening there.

Israeli navy critiques its failures on Oct. 7, 2023 The conclusions launched Monday by the Israeli navy appeared to largely echo these of previous investigations, citing each intelligence and operational failures.

It mentioned that intelligence officers had failed to acknowledge Hamas’ rising capabilities or preparations for the assault, even within the early hours of Oct. 7. It additionally criticized the efficiency of floor troops, the navy and the air power.

“On the night time of Oct. 7, direct intelligence had gathered which, had it been professionally analyzed, might and may have led to an alert and a big operational response,” the navy mentioned.

The report targeted solely on the military’s efficiency. Netanyahu has rejected requires an official fee of inquiry that might look into governmental resolution making, saying such an investigation can solely happen when the conflict ends. Critics accuse him of stonewalling to forestall what's more likely to be an unflattering report.

West Financial institution village faces demolition Palestinians within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution village of Umm al-Khair , which was featured within the Oscar-winning documentary “No Different Land,” had been bracing Monday for the arrival of Israeli navy bulldozers.

The documentary chronicles villagers’ makes an attempt to outlive state-backed demolitions and rampant violence from Israeli settlers.

Residents say Israel has ordered the demolition of 14 constructions, together with the group middle, greenhouse and household houses. A press launch from the group mentioned the demolitions might start Tuesday.

Israel says the constructions had been constructed illegally. Residents, decided to remain on their land, say it's unimaginable to safe permits to construct within the West Financial institution, leaving them little selection however to rebuild their houses following demolitions.

The village was based within the Fifties by historically nomadic individuals, referred to as Bedouin, who settled there after being uprooted from the Negev desert throughout the 1948 conflict surrounding Israel’s creation. 20 years later, Umm al-Khair fell below Israeli safety management when Israel captured the West Financial institution.

Settler assaults, residents say, started within the Eighties, after Israel constructed the settlement of Carmel near Umm al-Khair.

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AP reporters Josef Federman in Jerusalem, and Edith Lederer and Farnoush Amiri on the United Nations, contributed to this report.

___ Discover extra of AP’s Israel-Hamas protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

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