Israel launches ‘large-scale operation’ to find final hostage in Gaza : NPR

Folks maintain indicators with a photograph of Ran Gvili, who was killed whereas combating Hamas militants throughout the Oct. 7, 2023 assault and whose physique has been held in Gaza ever since, throughout a rally calling for his return in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.

Leo Correa/AP

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Leo Correa/AP

NAHARIYA, Israel — Israel mentioned Sunday its navy was conducting a “large-scale operation” to find the final hostage in Gaza, as Washington and different mediators strain Israel and Hamas to maneuver into the following section of their ceasefire.

The assertion got here as Israel’s Cupboard met to debate the potential for opening Gaza’s key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after prime U.S. envoys met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about subsequent steps.

The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been broadly seen as eradicating the remaining impediment to shifting forward with opening the Rafah crossing and continuing with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire’s second section.

Late Sunday, Netanyahu’s workplace in a press release mentioned: “Upon completion of this operations, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the US, Israel will open the Rafah crossing.” It gave no particulars on how lengthy that might be, however Israeli navy officers have been quoted in native media as saying the operation may take days to finish.

The return of all remaining hostages, alive or lifeless, has been a central a part of the primary section of the ceasefire that took impact on Oct. 10. Earlier than Sunday, the earlier hostage was recovered in early December.

Whereas Israel has carried out search efforts earlier than for Gvili, extra element than normal was launched about this one. Israel’s navy mentioned it was looking out a cemetery in northern Gaza close to the Yellow Line, which marks off Israeli-controlled components of the territory.

Individually, an Israeli navy official mentioned Gvili might have been buried within the Shijaiya-Tuffah space of Gaza Metropolis, and that rabbis and dental consultants have been on the bottom with specialised search groups. The official spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they have been discussing an operation nonetheless beneath method.

Gvili’s household has urged Netanyahu’s authorities to not enter the ceasefire’s second section till his stays are returned.

However strain has been constructing, and the Trump administration has already declared in current days that the second section is beneath method.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its toes within the restoration of the ultimate hostage. Hamas in a press release Sunday mentioned it had supplied all the knowledge it had about Gvili’s stays, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to seek for them in areas of Gaza beneath Israeli navy management.

A U.N. company workplace is about ablaze

The shuttered headquarters of the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem was set ablaze in a single day, days after Israeli bulldozers demolished components of the compound.

It was not recognized who began the fireplace. Israeli settlers have been noticed at night time looting the primary constructing for furnishings, mentioned Roland Friedrich, the company’s West Financial institution director. He mentioned a number of holes have been lower within the fence.

Israel’s hearth division mentioned it despatched groups to forestall the blaze from spreading. In Could 2024, UNRWA mentioned it was closing its compound after settlers set fires to its fence.

Commissioner-Common Philippe Lazzarini of the company, also called UNRWA, advised The Related Press the incident was the “newest assault on the U.N. within the ongoing try to dismantle the standing of Palestine refugees.”

UNRWA’s mandate is to offer assist and companies to some 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, in addition to 3 million extra refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. However its operations have been curtailed final 12 months when Israel’s Knesset handed laws severing ties and banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel, together with east Jerusalem.

Israel has lengthy railed in opposition to the company, accusing it of being infiltrated by Hamas and alleging that a few of its workers have been concerned within the 2023 assault that triggered Israel’s two-year struggle in Gaza. UNRWA leaders have mentioned they took swift motion in opposition to the staff accused of collaborating within the assault, and have denied allegations that the company tolerates or collaborates with Hamas.