Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations Focus on Return of Remains of Last Israeli Hostage
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet former US President Donald Trump in Florida at Mar-a-Lago, marking his fifth visit to the US this year. The core issue in their discussion revolves around Hamas returning the remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli police officer abducted during the October 2023 Hamas raid, before further stages of the Gaza ceasefire can proceed. Gvili's family has joined Netanyahu's entourage for this meeting.
Since the Hamas attack in October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 250 Israeli citizens, the subsequent Gaza war has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths. The October ceasefire left around 400 Palestinians killed since its implementation. Hamas has freed 20 living hostages and returned 27 bodies but insists that Gvili's remains be returned before any further concessions.
The next phase of the ceasefire includes plans for an interim Palestinian technocratic government and the introduction of an international stabilization force. However, Israel has significant concerns about these proposals. Some observers suggest that the insistence on receiving Gvili's remains serves as a delaying tactic that allows Israel to maintain control over roughly 53% of Gaza.
Reports from Axios highlight that the US administration aims to announce the establishment of the Palestinian technocratic government and the international stabilization force soon. Trump officials express frustration with Netanyahu's approach, fearing it may undermine the ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu has also signaled a readiness to restart the conflict in Gaza to pressure Hamas into disarming, according to the ceasefire terms. His strategy appears to focus on retaining control over about half of Gaza without executing a full military withdrawal.
