Israel launches 'large-scale operation' to find final hostage in Gaza

[ad_1] NAHARIYA, Israel (AP) — Israel stated Sunday its army was conducting a “large-scale operation” to find the final hostage in Gaza , as Washington and different mediators stress Israel and Hamas to maneuver into the next phase of their ceasefire .

The assertion got here as Israel’s Cupboard met to debate the potential for opening Gaza’s key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top U.S. envoys met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about subsequent steps.

The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been broadly seen as eradicating the remaining impediment to shifting forward with opening the Rafah crossing and continuing with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire’s second section.

Late Sunday, Netanyahu’s workplace in an announcement stated: “Upon completion of this operations, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with america, Israel will open the Rafah crossing.” It gave no particulars on how lengthy that may be, however Israeli army officers have been quoted in native media as saying the operation might take days to finish.

The return of all remaining hostages, alive or lifeless, has been a central a part of the primary section of the ceasefire that took impact on Oct. 10. Earlier than Sunday, the earlier hostage was recovered in early December.

Whereas Israel has carried out search efforts earlier than for Gvili, extra element than standard was launched about this one. Israel’s army stated it was looking a cemetery in northern Gaza close to the Yellow Line , which marks off Israeli-controlled components of the territory.

Individually, an Israeli army official stated Gvili could have been buried within the Shijaiya-Tuffah space of Gaza Metropolis, and that rabbis and dental specialists have been on the bottom with specialised search groups. The official spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they have been discussing an operation nonetheless underneath means.

Gvili’s household has urged Netanyahu’s authorities to not enter the ceasefire’s second section till his stays are returned.

However stress has been constructing, and the Trump administration has already declared in current days that the second section is underneath means.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its ft within the restoration of the ultimate hostage. Hamas in an announcement Sunday stated it had offered all the data it had about Gvili’s stays, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to seek for them in areas of Gaza underneath Israeli army management.

A U.N. company workplace is ready ablaze The shuttered headquarters of the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem was set ablaze in a single day, days after Israeli bulldozers demolished parts of the compound .

It was not recognized who began the hearth. Israeli settlers have been noticed at evening looting the principle constructing for furnishings, stated Roland Friedrich, the company’s West Financial institution director. He stated a number of holes have been minimize within the fence.

Israel’s hearth division stated it despatched groups to forestall the blaze from spreading. In Could 2024, UNRWA stated it was closing its compound after settlers set fires to its fence.

Commissioner-Common Philippe Lazzarini of the company, also called UNRWA, advised The Related Press the incident was the “newest assault on the U.N. within the ongoing try and dismantle the standing of Palestine refugees.”

UNRWA’s mandate is to supply support and providers to some 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, in addition to 3 million extra refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. However its operations have been curtailed final yr when Israel’s Knesset passed legislation severing ties and banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel, together with east Jerusalem.

Israel has lengthy railed towards the company, accusing it of being infiltrated by Hamas and alleging that a few of its staff have been concerned within the 2023 assault that triggered Israel’s two-year battle in Gaza. UNRWA leaders have stated they took swift motion towards the workers accused of participating within the assault, and have denied allegations that the company tolerates or collaborates with Hamas.

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

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Related Press author Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed.

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