Jerusalem, Dec 3 (AP) - Hamas announced plans to hand over the remains of a hostage as Israel confirmed it would allow Palestinians to exit Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. This comes as part of efforts to maintain a US-backed ceasefire, despite previous complications concerning returned remains.
Hamas indicated it would return newly discovered remains on Wednesday, though it's unclear whose remains these are. Only two hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, and the current phase of the ceasefire deal is expected to conclude once both are returned.
The agreement stipulates that the long-closed Rafah crossing will be opened for medical evacuations and travel. According to the World Health Organization, over 16,500 sick and wounded individuals in Gaza require external medical care.
An Israeli official informed The Associated Press that the Rafah crossing would only facilitate exits from Gaza, while Egypt insists on bi-directional movement.
Following these exchanges, the 20-point plan includes establishing an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government, and disarming Hamas.
Planned Handover Follows Previous Snag - Hamas plans to return another hostage's remains at 5 p.m. Once received by Israel, these remains will undergo testing to confirm if they belong to either of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Earlier, a snag was noted when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that forensic tests showed partial remains returned by militants did not match those of the hostages left in Gaza. Palestinian militants resumed their search and reported discovering a body in northern Gaza.
The two hostages still in Gaza are Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer, and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak. Gvili aided in evacuations during the Nova music festival attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and was killed fighting elsewhere. Rinthalak, an agricultural worker for Kibbutz Be'eri, was one of the hardest-hit communities during the conflict.
A total of 31 Thai workers were abducted, representing the largest foreign group held captive. Most were released during earlier ceasefires. The Thai Foreign Ministry reported that 46 Thai nationals have been killed during the conflict.
Rafah To Open Shortly - COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for facilitating aid to Gaza, confirmed Palestinians would be allowed to leave through Rafah, pending Israeli security approval. The US State Department's Bureau of Near-Eastern Affairs highlighted the crossing's opening as critical for providing medical access to vulnerable Gazans.
An anonymous Israeli official clarified that exit-only crossing would depend on Egyptian agreement. Egypt's State Information Service, through an unnamed official, asserted that crossing should proceed in both directions, in line with a plan promoted by US President Donald Trump.
The crossing was sealed in May 2024 following an Israeli military invasion but temporarily opened in February for evacuating sick and wounded Palestinians.
Israel Nominates Lebanon Envoy - Prime Minister Netanyahu announced appointing an envoy for talks with Lebanese officials, aiming to establish grounds for relations and economic cooperation. Israeli media identified the envoy as Uri Resnick, a former diplomat and deputy director of foreign policy at the National Security Council.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun stated he would appoint a civilian to a previously military-only committee overseeing the US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah, defending Lebanese sovereignty and interests. Lebanon's appointee, Simon Karam, an attorney and former US ambassador, will participate in the committee, which includes representatives from Lebanon, Israel, the US, France, and UNIFIL.
Palestinian Hospital Reports Israeli Fatality - A Palestinian man was reportedly killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City. The incident reportedly occurred in a “safe zone,” not under Israeli military control as per the ceasefire terms. The Israeli military has not commented.
The Gaza Health Ministry, under Hamas control, reports more than 360 Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire commenced on Oct. 11, with a total war death toll exceeding 70,100. Although the ministry doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, about half of the deceased are women and children, corroborated by international organizations for reliability.
Fluctuations in Return of Palestinian Bodies - Since early October's ceasefire, 20 living and 26 deceased hostages’ remains have been returned to Israel. Both sides accuse each other of repeated ceasefire breaches.
Central to the agreement, the US-brokered deal mandates an expedited return of all hostages’ remains by Hamas. Israel’s exchange terms include 15 Palestinian bodies for each returned hostage. Despite challenges, Gaza health officials have identified only a fraction of 330 bodies received, hindered by limited DNA testing facilities.
Despite accusations of violations from both sides, the exchange of remains continues. Israel claims instances of partial remains and alleged staged discoveries by Hamas. Conversely, Hamas accuses Israel of civilian targeting and inhibiting humanitarian aid. Although casualty numbers have lowered since the ceasefire, reports of deaths and militant attacks continue from both sides.
The ceasefire aims to resolve the conflict initiated by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages being taken. (AP) SKS SKS
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