Israel Receives More Human Remains from Gaza, Amid Ongoing Tensions and Humanitarian Crisis
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In a fragile ceasefire that has held despite accusations of violations from both sides, Israel has received more human remains from Palestinian militants in Gaza. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, the remains will undergo forensic testing and identification. This latest handover is the 26th set of remains returned by militants since the ceasefire deal took effect on October 10. In return, Israel has released the bodies of 330 Palestinians to Gaza. However, most remain unidentified. The remaining hostages are two Israelis and a Thai national, with Hamas citing the destruction caused by Israel's two-year offensive as the reason for the delay in recovering all remains. As tensions continue, Israel has accused militants of dragging their feet and threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned. The delay has been deemed a ceasefire violation by Netanyahu's office. Despite the ceasefire, the death toll has risen, with Gaza's health ministry reporting the deaths of three people east of Khan Younis in the south. The ministry also reported 14 others recovered from the rubble over the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 345 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect. The war, which began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in the deaths of 69,775 Palestinians and 170,863 injuries, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. Meanwhile, families in Gaza are facing a dire humanitarian crisis, worsened by heavy winter rains. Planning is underway for an international stabilization force, with Indonesia preparing troops and the U.S. proposing a 20-point blueprint to secure and govern Gaza. The U.S. plan includes a transitional authority to be overseen by President Donald Trump and envisions a possible future path to an independent Palestinian state. In related news, Israeli human rights organizations have filed a petition to Israel's high court, calling for the resumption of family visits for Palestinian prisoners suspected of being militants. The organizations allege systematic violence and denial of medical care as key causes of deaths in Israeli custody. Additionally, a Catholic charity has unveiled the late Pope Francis' popemobile, transformed into a mobile health clinic, which is set to be sent to Gaza to help care for children.
