Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Nov 26: Israel on Tuesday said it had received human remains handed over by Palestinian militants, with forensic teams now working to determine whether they belong to one of the three remaining hostages still unaccounted for in Gaza. The transfer came under the fragile ceasefire arrangement that has largely held since October, even as both sides continue to accuse each other of violations.
Islamic Jihad claimed the remains were discovered earlier this week in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas and other groups are required to return all remaining hostages or their bodies. So far, militants have sent back 25 bodies, while Israel has returned the remains of 330 Palestinians — many yet to be identified.
Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the process and warned that military operations or humanitarian aid could be affected if all remains are not located. Hamas has said many bodies remain buried beneath rubble left by Israel’s two-year offensive.
Despite an absence of daily exchanges of fire, Gaza’s health ministry reported rising casualties, saying Israeli forces killed three people east of Khan Younis on Tuesday. Fourteen more bodies were pulled from rubble, taking the death toll to 345 Palestinians since the ceasefire began. Israel’s military said it killed five militants emerging from a tunnel in Rafah and another who crossed into an Israeli-held area in the north.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Most hostages or their remains have since been returned. Gaza’s health ministry on Tuesday put the Palestinian death toll at 69,775, with over 170,000 injured.
Meanwhile, harsh winter rains deepened the suffering of displaced families across Gaza, where more than two million people continue to endure severe humanitarian shortages.
Plans advanced this week for an international stabilization force endorsed by the UN last week as part of Washington’s 20-point roadmap for Gaza. Indonesia confirmed it was preparing a brigade-sized contingent, pending approval from President Prabowo Subianto. The force would include engineering, medical and mechanized battalions, along with hospital ships, a C-130 Hercules aircraft and helicopter support.
The US blueprint also includes a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump and outlines a potential long-term path toward a Palestinian state.
In Israel, human rights organizations HaMoked, ACRI and the Public Committee Against Torture petitioned the High Court seeking the resumption of family visits for Palestinian detainees held on suspicion of militancy. Visits were halted at the start of the war, and rights groups say deaths in custody have risen sharply amid overcrowding, alleged violence and lack of medical care.
In the West Bank, Catholic charity Caritas showcased the late Pope Francis’ former popemobile — now converted into a mobile health clinic destined for Gaza to treat children. “This vehicle stands as a testament. The world has not forgotten the children of Gaza,” said Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Sweden.