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Missing bodies of hostages top the list of uncertainties as fragile Gaza ceasefire holds
On Monday, 20 living Israeli hostages and four deceased hostages were returned from Gaza under a United States-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.
Israel agreed to free at least 250 Palestinians and about 1,700 Gazans and pull back to the so-called yellow line, while Hamas returned only four bodies on Monday.
Photographs and military statements showed the reception of freed men at Re'im military base before their transfer to Israeli hospitals, with some families saying recovery could take weeks; the Israeli military identified Guy Illouz and Bipin Joshi among the deceased.
The ceasefire held Tuesday amid lingering complications as Hamas’s disarmament remains uncertain and the 24 unaccounted bodies keep families awaiting closure.
The United States expects to oversee the agreement's next phases, with the U.N., European Union and World Bank estimating $70 billion needed and an interim committee of international technocrats proposed.
REPORTING. The release of the last hostages has sparked an immense movement of joy in the country. Yet, many are unable to share the national effervescence.