Israel returns 15 more Palestinian bodies to Gaza as first phase of ceasefire nears end

The next phases will include deploying an armed International Stabilization Force, or ISF, and developing an international body to govern Gaza and oversee reconstruction. The ISF will be tasked with keeping security and ensuring the disarmament of Hamas, a key demand of Israel. Indonesian officials have said they plan to deploy 20,000 peacekeepers to the force.

Major questions hang over nearly every part of the plan and the time frame for implementation of the fragile ceasefire that has held despite accusations of violations by both sides.

In the meantime, nearly all Palestinians remain displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid, Hamas retains significant control over nearly half of Gaza and the rebuilding of the territory has barely begun.

Palestinian bodies returned and hostage remains identified

According to the ceasefire, Israel has agreed to return 15 Palestinian bodies for each hostage recovered. So far, 345 Palestinian bodies have been returned, said the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry said only 99 bodies have been identified. It says identifying the remains is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel mourned the latest hostage to be returned by the Palestinian militants, Dror Or. Israel’s military said Or and his wife, Yonat Or, were killed by militants who overran their community of Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023.

Before they were killed, the couple evacuated two of their children from their burning house through a window, said the Hostages Families Forum. The decision ultimately saved the children, Alma and Noam, who were abducted by the militants and released in a hostage deal in November 2023.

The forum remembered Or as a devoted father and talented cheesemaker who spent years working at the Be’eri dairy, eventually managing it. The group said Or was also a chef and yoga teacher.

In total, Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people across southern Israel and abducted 251 to Gaza in their attack that kick-started the war in Gaza.

With the return of Or’s remains, almost all of the hostages or their bodies have been recovered.

Hazem Qassem, the spokesperson for Hamas, said Wednesday that the militant group was committed to handing over the remains of the two hostages and wrapping up the exchange. Writing on his Telegram channel, he called for mediators to pressure Israel to stop its “violations” of the ceasefire.

Israeli troops shoot Palestinian man in Gaza, health officials say

Israeli troops opened fire Wednesday on a group of people in central Gaza, killing a Palestinian man, a hospital said.

At least two others were wounded in the attack that took place east of the Maghazi refugee camp, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the casualties, the latest among Palestinians since the ceasefire was reached.

Israel’s military said it did not have enough information about the incident to comment.

Also Wednesday, the military said its troops targeted a group of six militants in the southern city of Rafah, killing one. The military statement said that the militants had “most likely emerged from the underground terror infrastructure in the area.” Troops then searched a nearby building, killing three more and apprehending two, it said.

Since the truce took effect, the Gaza Health Ministry said, 345 Palestinians were killed and 889 were wounded in the strip as of Tuesday.

It said at least 69,775 Palestinians have been killed and 170,863 injured in Israel’s offensive in Gaza. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures, but has said women and children make up a majority of those killed. The ministry is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

Turkish, Qatari and Egyptian officials meet on ceasefire

Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met in Cairo on Tuesday with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Hasan Reshat to discuss advancing to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, a Turkish security official said.

The talks also centered on intensifying joint efforts with the United States to strengthen the truce, according to the official who requested anonymity in line with Turkish regulations.

The three also agreed to deepen cooperation with the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), the U.S.-led center in Israel overseeing the ceasefire, to remove obstacles and prevent violations, ensuring the ceasefire is upheld without interruption, the official added.

Indonesia prepares troops for Gaza stabilization force

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation with a long experience in U.N. peacekeeping missions, is among the countries the U.S. has discussed the ISF plan with, in addition to Azerbaijan, Egypt and Qatar.

“We are now in the selection phase for the peacekeeping force,” Gen. Agus Subianto, Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces or TNI, told reporters Tuesday after a hearing with lawmakers in the capital, Jakarta. “Later, it’s planned that the mission will be led by a three-star general.”

He said the contingent will form a composite brigade consisting of health, engineering and mechanized support battalions. TNI is also preparing supporting assets for the mission in Gaza, including three hospital warships, the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft and a helicopter.

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin added that the final deployment awaits an official order from President Prabowo Subianto but “troops are already undergoing mission-specific training.”

The U.N. reported that Indonesia had been the fifth-largest uniformed personnel contributor, deploying 2,731 individuals on peacekeeping operations as of September.

Israeli defense minister says relationship with military chief intact despite spat

Defense Minister Israel Katz said in the Israeli parliament Wednesday that a recent spat with the military’s chief of staff was not preventing them from working together.

“Regarding the chief of staff, we have worked, are working, and will work together in everything related to the operational arenas of the State of Israel on all fronts,” said Katz. “There is constant dialogue.”

Katz and chief of staff Lt. Gen Eyal Zamir have exchanged jabs in recent days over the defense minister’s decision to impose an external review on the military’s internal investigation of its conduct on Oct. 7, 2023, following the Hamas attack.

Katz is a Netanyahu loyalist, under whose leadership the Israeli government has long resisted an investigation into what went wrong that day.

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Frankel reported from Jerusalem and Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt. AP writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini contributed from Jakarta, Indonesia.

Wafaa Shurafa, Julia Frankel And Samy Magdy, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Israel returns 15 more Palestinian bodies to Gaza as first phase of ceasefire nears end

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