Israel Seeks Return of Last Hostage's Remains Amid Regional Tensions

Israel has informed mediators that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad possess information on the whereabouts of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili's remains, the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza. A delegation led by Gal Hirsch, Israel's hostage affairs envoy, traveled to Cairo on Thursday, urging mediators to facilitate the return of Gvili's body.

An Israeli source indicated that discussions in Cairo also addressed the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, which aims to transition to disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza. Mediators suggested that Hamas is showing interest in adhering to the ceasefire-hostage deal and progressing to the next stage.

In a related development, Israel announced plans to reopen the Rafah crossing exclusively for Palestinians to exit Gaza. This move has drawn criticism from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of these countries expressed "deep concern" over Israel's intentions, emphasizing their "absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land." They called for the crossing to be opened in both directions, aligning with the provisions of the U.S.-brokered peace plan.

Egypt has denied coordinating with Israel on reopening the Rafah crossing solely for outbound movement, stating that any agreement would require two-way access to ensure freedom of movement for Gaza's population.

The situation remains tense as Israel continues efforts to recover Gvili's remains and regional actors express concerns over potential forced displacement of Palestinians through the Rafah crossing.