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Lebanon today
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued urgent instructions to the army to carry out “strong strikes” in the Gaza Strip, after a security meeting held on Tuesday.
The office stated in an official statement that this step comes as a response to what Israel considers a “violation” of the ceasefire. The reason was the receipt of human remains that turned out to not belong to any of the remaining 13 Israeli hostages, but rather to one of the prisoners whose body Israel had previously recovered.
Netanyahu had previously stated that Israel would “respond” to this matter, and indicated his intention to hold another meeting with defense leaders to determine “next steps” in Gaza.
For its part, Hamas confirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement, and that it is working to search for the remains of those detained by various factions in the Gaza Strip. She explained that the lack of specialized capabilities hinders the precise location and delivery of remains.
These developments come as the hostage issue continues to be a key element in the indirect negotiations between the two parties, amid growing international concern about the possibility of matters returning to a comprehensive escalation.
