In a somber exchange emblematic of the ongoing complexities in Gaza, Israel on Wednesday handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza authorities, a day after Palestinian militants returned the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or. This latest transfer, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, marks another chapter in a fragile ceasefire deal that has seen the return of hostages and the repatriation of hundreds of bodies, yet leaves many questions unanswered about Gaza’s future.
The identification of Dror Or’s remains by Israeli authorities brought renewed attention to the personal tragedies at the heart of the conflict. According to the Hostages Families Forum, Or was a devoted father, cheesemaker, chef, and yoga teacher, who managed the Be’eri dairy in Kibbutz Be’eri. He and his wife, Yonat Or, were killed during the October 7, 2023, attack by Islamic Jihad militants who overran their community. In a desperate act of parental courage, the couple evacuated their two children, Alma and Noam, from their burning house through a window, saving their lives. The children were later abducted and released in a hostage deal in November 2023, as reported by CBC News and the Associated Press.
With the return of Dror Or’s remains, nearly all hostages or their bodies have been recovered as part of the ceasefire arrangements. However, the bodies of two hostages—one Israeli and one Thai national—remain in Gaza. Hamas has publicly committed to returning them, with spokesman Hazem Qassem reiterating on Telegram that the group is determined to uphold its side of the agreement and calling for mediators to pressure Israel to stop its "violations" of the ceasefire, according to the Associated Press.
The exchange of bodies is part of a broader agreement stipulating that Israel will return 15 Palestinian bodies for each hostage repatriated. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that, since the start of these exchanges last month, Israel has returned a total of 345 Palestinian bodies to Gaza. Of these, only 99 have been identified, a process hampered by a lack of DNA testing kits in the enclave, as detailed by CBC News.
While these exchanges have provided some solace to grieving families, the broader humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, estimates that more than 69,775 Palestinians have been killed and 170,863 injured in Israel’s offensive since October 2023. The ministry notes that women and children constitute a majority of the casualties, though it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. Independent experts generally consider the ministry’s records to be reliable, as reported by the Associated Press.
The ceasefire, which took effect on October 11, 2025, has been marred by accusations of violations from both sides. On November 26, Israeli troops opened fire on a group in central Gaza, killing a Palestinian man and wounding at least two others near the Maghazi refugee camp, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the incident. Separately, Israeli troops targeted a group of six militants in the southern city of Rafah, killing one and later conducting further operations in the area. The military claimed that the militants had "most likely emerged from the underground terror infrastructure in the area," CBC News reported. Since the ceasefire began, 345 Palestinians have been killed and 889 wounded, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
Parallel to these events, negotiations on the next phase of the ceasefire agreement have been underway in Cairo. Turkish, Qatari, and Egyptian officials met on November 25-26 to discuss advancing the deal, which has held tenuously despite ongoing violence. The talks focused on deploying an armed International Stabilization Force (ISF) and developing an international governing body for Gaza to oversee reconstruction. The ISF is tasked with maintaining security and ensuring the disarmament of Hamas, a key Israeli demand. Indonesian officials have announced plans to contribute 20,000 peacekeepers to the force, drawing on the country’s extensive experience in UN peacekeeping missions, according to the Associated Press and CBC News.
The next phases of the agreement also include establishing a governing body for Gaza under a two-year, renewable United Nations mandate—an ambitious plan that faces numerous obstacles. The timeframe for implementation remains uncertain, and nearly all Palestinians in Gaza continue to be displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid. Hamas retains significant control over nearly half of the territory, and the process of rebuilding has scarcely begun, as highlighted by Sky News and CBC News.
The international mediators in Cairo also agreed to deepen cooperation with the Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) and intensify joint efforts with the United States to strengthen the truce. Their stated aim is to remove obstacles and prevent violations, ensuring that the ceasefire is upheld without interruption, Turkish officials told the Associated Press.
Yet, as the ceasefire’s first phase nears its conclusion, the situation on the ground remains precarious. On November 26, Israeli forces launched a military operation in the West Bank governorate of Tubas, involving Apache helicopters and military vehicles. Governor Ahmad Al-Asaad described Tubas as "cut off" by Israeli troops, stating, "This military operation is a prelude to annexation, and since the early hours of the morning, we have activated the central emergency committee to respond to the citizens' distress call in the Tubas governorate." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation was a response to "attempts to establish terrorist strongholds and construction of terror infrastructures in the area," CBC News reported. The operation is seen as an extension of the Israeli military’s campaign in the northern West Bank, which has included deadly raids and the clearing of refugee camps.
Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing what it describes as forced expulsions in the West Bank. Israel denies these allegations, maintaining that its operations target Palestinian militancy in areas where hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers live among millions of Palestinians under military occupation.
As the ceasefire process moves into its next, uncertain phase, the challenges remain daunting. The fate of the two remaining hostages, the deployment of international peacekeepers, the future governance of Gaza, and the massive task of reconstruction all hang in the balance. For now, the people of Gaza and Israel remain caught in a cycle of hope, grief, and uncertainty, waiting to see if the latest diplomatic efforts will bring lasting relief or simply mark another pause in a long and painful conflict.
