Israel Conducts Operation to Retrieve Last Hostage in Gaza Amid UNRWA Headquarters Fire

Israel has launched a significant military operation in Gaza to locate the remains of its last hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, as part of efforts to advance the U.S.-brokered ceasefire's second phase. The operation focuses on a cemetery in northern Gaza and the Shijaiya-Tuffah area of Gaza City, employing specialized search teams, including rabbis and dental experts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that upon completion of this operation, Israel will open the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Hamas claims to have provided all available information regarding Gvili's remains and accuses Israel of hindering recovery efforts in areas under Israeli control.

In East Jerusalem, the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was set ablaze overnight, days after Israeli bulldozers demolished parts of the compound. UNRWA's West Bank director, Roland Friedrich, reported that Israeli settlers were observed looting the main building and cutting holes in the fence. The Israeli fire department dispatched teams to prevent the blaze from spreading. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the incident as the "latest attack on the U.N. in the ongoing attempt to dismantle the status of Palestine refugees." Israel's Foreign Ministry defended the demolition, stating that the compound no longer had any U.N. personnel or activity and did not enjoy immunity.