Israel returns 15 Palestinian our bodies to Gaza

[ad_1] DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel turned over the our bodies of 15 Palestinians on Thursday, simply days after recovering the remains of the final Israeli hostage, a Gaza Well being Ministry official mentioned.

It marks the final hostage-detainee change between Israel and Hamas carried out as a part of the primary part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached in October.

The Purple Cross mentioned that it helped facilitate the return of the our bodies. They had been taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, well being ministry spokeperson Zaher al-Wahidi mentioned.

The return of all remaining hostages, dwelling or lifeless, had been a key a part of the primary part within the ceasefire that paused the battle.

Israel agreed to return 15 Palestinian our bodies for every hostage recovered, in keeping with the ceasefire phrases. It’s unclear if the our bodies launched Thursday had been of Palestinian detainees who died in Israeli custody or our bodies taken from Gaza by Israeli troops through the battle.

Israel has launched roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners below the ceasefire deal, lots of whom had been seized by Israeli troops through the greater than two-year battle and held with out being charged. It additionally has launched the our bodies of 360 Palestinians again to Gaza, the place officers have struggled to determine them.

The Gaza well being ministry, a part of the Hamas-run authorities, has posted images of the deceased for households to determine. Of the our bodies handed again by Israel, about 100 have been recognized by households, al-Wahidi mentioned.

On Monday, Israel introduced that it discovered and recognized the stays of the final Israeli hostage, police officer Ran Gvili , following an intensive search at a cemetery in northern Gaza.

The assault by Hamas-led militants on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which launched the battle, killed about 1,200 folks and noticed 251 taken hostage. Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer identified affectionately as “Rani,” was killed while fighting Hamas militants.

The return of his physique closed a painful chapter for the nation and cleared the way in which for the subsequent and tougher part of the ceasefire, which requires deploying a world safety power, disarming Hamas, pulling again Israeli troopers and rebuilding Gaza.

Deaths proceed in Gaza Whereas U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff introduced the launch of the second phase of the ceasefire deal earlier this month, Israeli fireplace and strikes proceed to kill Palestinians throughout Gaza nearly each day.

Israeli fireplace killed two Palestinians on Thursday in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis space, in keeping with Nasser hospital, the place the our bodies had been taken. Well being officers mentioned that the 2 males had been killed in areas that aren’t Israeli-controlled.

One other Israeli strike in central Gaza killed one Palestinian and wounded others, in keeping with Al-Aqsa martyrs hospital, the place the casualties had been taken.

Israel’s army mentioned it carried out a “exact strike” on Thursday that focused a suspect planning to assault troops within the southern Gaza Strip and killed an individual who crossed the ceasefire line and approached troops.

The Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned that 492 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that ceasefire. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. The ministry maintains detailed casualty data which are seen as typically dependable by U.N. companies and impartial specialists.

Rafah border crossing For Palestinians separated from their families by the battle and the tens of hundreds of individuals exterior Gaza searching for to return house, the reopening of the Rafah crossing alongside the border with Egypt can’t come quickly sufficient.

The crossing is expected to reopen soon , Israeli officers have mentioned, however how many individuals can be allowed to enter and go away Gaza stays unclear.

Preparations are underway to permit the departure of a restricted variety of medical evacuees who had been wounded within the battle and must journey overseas for medical care.

However Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned that crossing received’t be open to items for now. The crossing, Gaza’s foremost gateway to the surface world, has been largely closed since Could 2024.

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Toqa Ezzidin reported from Cairo. Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo.

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

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