JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's army says militants in Gaza have handed over a body believed to be a hostage. Since the ceasefire between Israel and…
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Israel's military says the remains of a hostage in Gaza have been turned over and are now in Israel. Tuesday's handover is the latest sign of progress under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Ahead of the announcement, Hamas had returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel under the ceasefire. If the latest remains are confirmed, that would leave the remains of seven in Gaza. The ceasefire began Oct. 10 and is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
Israel has returned the bodies of 45 Palestinians, according to the Red Cross. It comes a day after militants returned the remains of three Israeli soldiers killed in a Hamas-led attack in October 2023. The exchange is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Since the truce began in October, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 20 hostages, with eight still in Gaza. For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians, totaling 270 since the ceasefire started.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to carry out "powerful strikes" in Gaza. This decision comes after an Israeli official reported that Hamas fired on Israeli forces in southern Gaza. Hamas has delayed handing over another hostage's body in response to Israel's planned strikes. On Monday, the Palestinian militant group handed over body parts that Israel identified as the remains of a hostage recovered earlier in the war, which Netanyahu called a violation of the ceasefire. The ceasefire, which began on Oct. 10, has been fragile, with previous flare-ups. The situation remains tense, with ongoing challenges to the ceasefire. Associated Press reporters heard tank fire and saw explosions in various parts of Gaza, including in Gaza City and Deir al-Balah.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is seeking to ease concerns in Israel that the Trump administration is dictating terms to its closest ally in the Middle East. He and other top U.S. envoys are visiting Israel this week to support the Gaza ceasefire agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Friday. Both Vance and Netanyahu affirmed that the countries are allies and partners. Vance also acknowledged that the road to long-term peace is difficult. The ceasefire that began on Oct. 10 continues to hold.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other envoys projected optimism about Gaza's fragile ceasefire agreement during a visit to Israel even as they acknowledged significant challenges remain. They visited a new center in Israel for civilian and military cooperation as questions linger over the long-term plan for peace, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern the territory after the war. Vance noted flareups of violence in recent days but said the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began on Oct. 10 is going "better than I expected." Late Tuesday, Israel said the remains of two hostages had been handed over to the military in Gaza.
The military wing of Hamas says it will hand over the remains of a hostage late Friday. The Qassam Brigades did not say whose remains would be handed over, only that they were pulled out earlier in the day. It did not say where the remains will be handed over. In recent days, Hamas handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross the remains of nine hostages along with a 10th body that Israel said wasn't that of a hostage. As part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, Hamas was supposed to hand over the remains of 28 hostages who were kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023.
The fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is being tested. An Israeli military agency said Tuesday it will halve the number of trucks allowed to bring humanitarian aid into devastated Gaza over concerns about the slow return of the remains of dead hostages. The issue emerged a day after jubilation over the return of the last 20 living hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. A U.N. spokesperson says Israel has informed it of plans to halve aid into Gaza. Hamas appeared to heed the pressure. Israel's military later said several coffins would be transferred to the Red Cross.
Senior officials from the United States, Qatar and Israel have joined the third day of talks between Israel and Hamas in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. It's a sign negotiators aim to tackle on Wednesday the toughest issues of an American plan to end the war in Gaza. Hamas says it's seeking solid guarantees from U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel won't resume its military campaign after the militant group releases its remaining hostages under the plan. Among the more senior officials joining the negotiations are Qatar's prime minister, Trump's Mideast envoy and a top adviser to Israel's prime minister. Trump says he could travel to the Middle East if talks are successful.
Israelis are mourning the dead and fearing for the remaining hostages as they mark two years since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack plunged the region into a devastating war. Tuesday's commemorations come as Israel and Hamas hold indirect negotiations in Egypt. The main memorial ceremony is being organized by bereaved families. The government-organized memorial will be held according to the Jewish calendar next week. The rift reflects deep divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, which many blame for the failure to secure a ceasefire that would free the hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed tens of thousands and razed entire towns and cities in the Gaza Strip.
