Search for Last Israeli Body Delayed in Gaza
Efforts to retrieve the body of the last Israeli individual held in Gaza are currently delayed due to heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions in the northern Gaza Strip. An Israeli official, who spoke to NPR anonymously, confirmed that coordinated search operations are on hold and are expected to resume once ground conditions improve.
Ran Gvili, identified as the individual, was 24 years old and a member of an elite police unit. He was killed while assisting individuals fleeing the Nova music festival. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also confirmed that search operations are not currently underway due to weather.
Ceasefire Agreement Implications
The transfer of Gvili's body to Israeli authorities by Hamas is a prerequisite for the commencement of phase two of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement. This phase is designed to involve Hamas disarming and an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
The Israeli military has urged Hamas to fulfill its obligations under the agreement, though it did not confirm specific delays in the search. A Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, Hazem Qassim, described the search efforts as "very complicated."
Ongoing Violations and Humanitarian Concerns
Both sides have accused each other of violating the terms established in the first phase of the ceasefire, which was reached in October. Since then, Israeli forces have conducted strikes in Gaza, resulting in over 380 Palestinian fatalities, according to local health officials. Earlier this month, the Israeli military killed a Hamas leader identified as the second-in-command of its military wing, an action Hamas deemed a violation of the ceasefire.
Concurrently, heavy rains have exacerbated the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Thousands of tents, serving as shelters for displaced Palestinians, have been inundated. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General for UNRWA, stated on X that "people in the Gaza Strip are freezing to death" due to the weather, further noting the collapse of waterlogged building ruins. Gaza civil defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal reported that dozens of Palestinians died from these collapses, describing the damaged buildings as a "major nightmare" threatening lives. UNRWA has appealed to the Israeli military to facilitate increased aid access into Gaza.