The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has confirmed it has retrieved the remains the last hostage held in Gaza.Soldiers from the IDF have now retrieved the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili as they launched a “targeted operation” on the much destroyed enclave.The return of all living and deceased hostages in Gaza completes a key condition of the initial part of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war.Israel has said that it will now reopen Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt once Mr Gvili’s remains are returned or the search operation for his body concludes.
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The Rafah crossing acts as the enclave’s main gateway to the world and is the key route in or out of Gaza for nearly all of the two million people who live there.The Gaza side of the crossing has been under Israeli military control since 2024.It was briefly opened early in 2025 for the evacuation of sick and wounded Palestinians for treatment, as part of the previous ceasefire deal.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said: “As part of President Trump’s 20-point plan, Israel has agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah Crossing for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism.”US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel, mainly to discuss Gaza, Mr Witkoff said on Sunday.”The discussion was constructive and positive, with both sides aligned on next steps and the importance of continued cooperation on all matters critical to the region,” Witkoff said in a post on X.Gaza has been reduced to rubble in the war that was triggered by an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies.The Gaza health ministry says more than 71,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Israeli fire since then. It also says that at least 480 people have been killed by Israeli fire since a ceasefire agreement came into effect last October.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSGB News heads into Gaza as Hamas continues ceasefire campaign of terror despite commitment to disarmKeir Starmer risks new explosive row with Donald Trump after Labour snubs Board of Peace ceremony‘Five killed and dozens wounded’ as Israel carries out strikes on Gaza in huge test of ceasefireIsraeli officials have spoken in the past about encouraging Palestinians to emigrate from Gaza.However, this has led to accusations of ethnic cleansing, with Israeli government denying intending to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza by force.Palestinians are highly sensitive to any suggestion that Gazans could be expelled, or that those who leave temporarily could be barred from returning.The Rafah Crossing is expected to be staffed by Palestinians affiliated with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and monitored by EU personnel, as took place during an earlier, weeks-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas early last year.Israel demolished structures inside the UN Palestinian refugee agency’s East Jerusalem compound after last week after seizing the site last year, in an act condemned by the agency as a violation of international law.Surrounded by Israeli forces, bulldozers razed several large buildings and other smaller structures inside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency compound (UNRWA), where dozens of agency staff once worked.UNRWA, which Israeli authorities accuse of bias, has not used the building since the start of last year after Israel ordered it to vacate all its premises and cease its operations.Deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq said: “The Secretary-General urges the government of Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay.”
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