Post by : Badri Ariffin

On Sunday, Israel declared that its military has initiated a “large-scale operation” aimed at finding the last hostage in Gaza, Ran Gvili. This operation aligns with ongoing efforts from the United States and other mediators urging Israel and Hamas to progress in the ceasefire negotiations.

The Israeli Cabinet convened to deliberate on the potential reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Recently, key U.S. officials met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strategize the way forward. The release of Gvili is considered a critical factor in facilitating the Rafah crossing's reopening and moving ahead with the second phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

Netanyahu's office stated: “Following the conclusion of this operation, and in line with agreements made with the United States, the Rafah crossing will be reopened by Israel.” Military sources noted that this operation may extend over several days.

The recovery of all hostages—whether alive or deceased—is fundamental to the first phase of the ceasefire, which commenced on October 10. The last hostage was recovered earlier in December.

As part of this operation, Israeli forces are scouring a cemetery in northern Gaza near the Yellow Line, which signifies Israeli-controlled territories. Another key area under investigation is the Shijaiya-Tuffah section of Gaza City, with the assistance of rabbis and dental professionals in the search efforts.

Gvili’s family has appealed for the government to delay moving to the second phase of the ceasefire until Gvili's remains are returned home. However, the Trump administration has indicated that preparations for the second phase are already in motion.

Israel has accused Hamas of hindering Gvili's recovery efforts, while Hamas claims it has provided all relevant information and blames Israel for obstructive actions in regions under Israeli jurisdiction.

Unrelated Incident: Fire at UN Agency in East Jerusalem

Overnight, a fire broke out at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem, occurring just days after parts of its compound were razed by Israeli actions. The cause of the fire remains unclear. Reports suggest that Israeli settlers looted items from the site. Firefighting teams successfully contained the fire to prevent it from spreading.

UNRWA provides essential services to 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, as well as to an additional 3 million in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. The agency has labelled the fire a “recent attack on the U.N. in its ongoing efforts to undermine the status of Palestinian refugees.”

Israel has long accused UNRWA of infiltration by Hamas and asserts that some employees had roles in the 2023 attack that sparked the two-year conflict in Gaza. UNRWA has refuted these claims, asserting that any accused employees received prompt disciplinary measures.

#Global News