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Israel Hands over Bodies of 45 Palestinians After Hamas Returned the Remains of 3 Soldiers 

Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP)
Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP)
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Israel Hands over Bodies of 45 Palestinians After Hamas Returned the Remains of 3 Soldiers 

Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP)
Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP)

Israel on Monday handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said, a day after Hamas returned the remains of three hostages. Israeli officials identified the three as soldiers who were killed in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that triggered the war. 

The exchange marked another step forward for the tenuous, US-brokered ceasefire in the two-year war — the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas group. 

Since the truce took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian fighters have released the remains of 20 hostages, with eight now still remaining in Gaza. 

For each hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. Monday's return brought the number of Palestinian bodies handed back since the ceasefire began to 270. 

Slow identification process in Gaza 

Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson at the Gaza Health Ministry, told The Associated Press that the 45 released bodies of Palestinians were received at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza around noon. 

Only about 75 of all the returned bodies have so far been identified, the ministry said. Forensic work is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza, it added. The ministry posts photos of the remains online, in the hope that families will recognize them. 

Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the three hostages returned to Israel on Sunday night as Capt. Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli, Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel and Col. Assaf Hamami. A Hamas statement earlier said their remains were found on Sunday in a tunnel in southern Gaza. 

Neutra, an American-Israeli, was 21 when Hamas fighters abducted him and the rest of his tank crew on Oct. 7, 2023. In December 2024, the military announced Neutra had been killed in the attack that started the war. 

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he had spoken with Neutra's family, describing their relief and heartbreak. “They were thrilled, in one sense, but in another sense, obviously, it’s not too great,” Trump said. 

Daniel, a 19-year-old staff sergeant, was pulled by gunmen from his tank and taken into Gaza, along with three others of his crew. He is survived by his parents and twin sister. The remains of the others were returned earlier. 

Hamami, commander of Israel’s southern brigade in the Gaza division, died early on Oct. 7, 2023, in fighting to defend Kibbutz Nirim. Hamami and two of his soldiers were killed and their bodies were taken to Gaza. Hamami is survived by his wife and three children. 

Militants have released one or two bodies every few days. Israel has urged for faster progress, and in certain cases it has said the remains were not those of any hostage. Hamas has said the work is complicated by widespread devastation. 

Arrests of 2 ex-military figures rocks Israel 

Since Sunday, a political scandal has rocked Israel involving the military's former legal chief, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. A military official said she was arrested overnight after she has admitted to leaking a video of Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee and resigned from office. 

The arrests were widely reported in Israeli media. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of not being authorized to speak with the media. 

A frantic search was underway Sunday along the Tel Aviv beach for Tomer-Yerushalmi, after her family raised concerns for her safety and police found her abandoned car along the coastline, reported Israel’s Channel 12. Police said she was found soon after the search began. 

Former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomesh was also arrested overnight and was appearing in court Monday, reported Israel’s Army Radio. 

Efforts to ramp up Gaza aid and a vaccination campaign  

The exchange of hostage remains for Palestinian bodies has been the central part of the initial phase of the US-brokered ceasefire. The 20-point plan includes the formation of an international stabilization force of Arab and other partners that would work with Egypt and Jordan on securing Gaza’s borders and ensure the ceasefire is respected. 

Multiple nations have shown interest in taking part in a peacekeeping force, but have called for a clear UN Security Council mandate before committing troops. 

Other difficult questions include Hamas’ disarmament and the governance of a postwar Gaza, as well as when and how humanitarian aid will be increased. 

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will visit Jordan on Monday and call on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza. She is expected to visit a warehouse where British aid remains stuck waiting to enter Gaza. 

Ahead of the visit, Cooper said that “humanitarian support is desperately needed and the people of Gaza cannot afford to wait.” 

“Following the US-led peace process and the plans for a substantial increase in aid for Gaza, we need an increase in crossings, an acceleration in lifting of restrictions and more agencies able to go in with aid,” Cooper said. 

Cooper also announced that Britain will provide an extra 6 million pounds ($7.9 million) of humanitarian support for Gaza, provided by the UN Population Fund. 

Also Monday, Gaza’s health ministry announced that a campaign to vaccinate some 40,000 Palestinian children under three years old against preventable diseases like measles, polio and meningitis will kick off next week. 

It will focus on children who missed routine vaccinations or received only partial doses due to the war, Dr. Nedal Ghoneim, the Health Ministry’s public health manager, told the AP. The exact number of children in need of routine vaccinations is unknown due to challenges record-keeping during the war, said Ghoneim. 

The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel two years ago killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. 

Israel, which has denied accusations by a UN commission of inquiry and others of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the ministry’s figures without providing a contradicting toll. 

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Arab World

Lebanese Army Discovers Hezbollah Tunnel in South

Lebanese army members stand on a military vehicle during a Lebanese army media tour, to review the army's operations in the southern Litani sector, in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, November 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Lebanese army members stand on a military vehicle during a Lebanese army media tour, to review the army's operations in the southern Litani sector, in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, November 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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Lebanese Army Discovers Hezbollah Tunnel in South

Lebanese army members stand on a military vehicle during a Lebanese army media tour, to review the army's operations in the southern Litani sector, in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, November 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Lebanese army members stand on a military vehicle during a Lebanese army media tour, to review the army's operations in the southern Litani sector, in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, November 28, 2025. (Reuters)

The Lebanese army has uncovered a tunnel built by Hezbollah in the southern town of Touline after carrying out an excavation at the request of the ceasefire oversight committee known as the Mechanism, Lebanese media reported. The site had previously been struck by an Israeli attack, according to the reports.

This was not the first time the Lebanese army has inspected sites at the request of the Mechanism or following Israeli threats, as part of coordination between the military, the committee overseeing the cessation of hostilities and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

A similar inspection took place last week when the army conducted a thorough search of a building in the southern town of Yanouh after Israel threatened to strike the house.

No weapons were found. After the Lebanese army deployed, the Israeli military announced it had temporarily suspended the strike it had threatened on what it described as Hezbollah military infrastructure in the town.

The developments came as Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon continued, with an air raid on Wednesday hitting the town of Kfar Kila. No casualties were reported, said the state-run National News Agency.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri described the Mechanism as a “platform for discussion and a framework for oversight and verification of compliance with agreements”, stressing that Lebanon has adhered to its commitments since the first day of the 2024 ceasefire, while Israeli violations have continued.

On Hezbollah’s weapons, Mitri said during the opening session of the eighth conference of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut that Lebanese army commander General Rodolphe Haykal had proposed a five-phase plan starting with strengthening the army’s capabilities.

He stressed that extending state authority in the area surrounding the Litani River was making gradual progress, with the army nearing completion of its mission south of the Litani in preparation for moving to later phases.

On reconstruction, Mitri added that the international community was making the extension of state authority a key condition for support. He hoped that Arab states would play a supportive role through their international relations.

The developments come ahead of a new meeting of the Mechanism tasked with monitoring the ceasefire, scheduled for Dec. 19.

It will be the second meeting attended by the head of the Lebanese delegation, Ambassador Simon Karam, after his participation alongside an Israeli civilian in the previous session earlier this month, marking the first direct talks between the two countries.

President Joseph Aoun met Karam on Wednesday and provided him with guidance ahead of the meeting.

The ceasefire monitoring committee includes Lebanon, Israel, France, the United States and the United Nations.

The ceasefire agreement stipulates a halt to hostilities, the withdrawal of Hezbollah north of the Litani River, leading to its disarmament across Lebanon, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from positions they occupied during the latest war.

Israel, however, maintains a presence at five “strategic” sites inside Lebanese territory, while Hezbollah refuses to disarm.

Arab World

Bahbah to Asharq Al-Awsat: Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Begins Next Month

Palestinians walk along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians walk along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP)
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Bahbah to Asharq Al-Awsat: Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Begins Next Month

Palestinians walk along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians walk along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP)

The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected to begin in January, likely in the first or second week, according to Bishara Bahbah, head of the Arab Americans for Peace Committee and a mediator closely aligned with the US administration on the Gaza file.

Bahbah told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that preparations for managing Gaza are already complete, with the names of the prospective committee finalized and Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan emerging as the most likely candidate to lead the body.

Bahbah, who remains close to White House deliberations on Gaza, said Washington supports the presence of Turkish forces as part of an international stabilization force, viewing them as the most capable of maintaining stability in the enclave.

He said the anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month will be decisive for the second phase, noting that the United States will press for its launch next month and for a decision on Türkiye’s participation in the stabilization force.

Defining the mission

Bahbah disclosed details of a meeting held on Tuesday in the Qatari capital Doha on the formation of an international stabilization force for Gaza.

He said one of the main objectives was for Washington to clearly identify which countries are prepared to participate and to determine the nature of each country’s contribution, whether through troops, training, or technical and logistical support.

He said the second objective of the meeting was to clarify how the forces would coordinate with one another and establish a command structure, noting that one proposal under discussion is for a US general to lead the international force.

Discussions also covered deployment locations and whether the force would be stationed outside the so-called yellow line separating Israeli-controlled areas from Hamas-held zones, within that line, or inside densely populated areas, as well as which parties would provide funding, he added.

Rejection of Israel’s approach

On deployment plans, Bahbah said discussions are ongoing but that the model sought by Israel was rejected by an overwhelming majority of participating countries, indicating broad agreement on monitoring rather than combat roles.

On the nature of the mission, he stated that most participating states are unwilling to play any role related to disarmament, instead seeking to act as a buffer between Israeli forces and populated areas in order to protect civilians.

The ultimate objective of the force’s presence is Israel’s gradual withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, he stressed.

“These forces will not act on Israel’s behalf, particularly on disarmament,” Bahbah said, adding that Hamas leaders had expressed to him a willingness to negotiate on the issue.

“Using force will not work,” he warned, noting that Israel had failed to disarm Hamas by force over the past two years and that no international party would succeed in doing so militarily.

A car is seen partially submerged next to a small boat in a flooded area after heavy rains in a makeshift camp for displaced Palestinians in Zawaida, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP)

Türkiye’s participation pivotal

On Türkiye’s role, Bahbah described Ankara’s participation as pivotal, saying Türkiye is the closest country to Hamas and the most capable of engaging with the group over its weapons, something other states struggle to do.

He said the presence of Turkish forces in Gaza would be essential and would lead to greater stability, adding that Washington supports their involvement.

Bahbah said Trump is expected to pressure Netanyahu during their upcoming meeting in the United States later this month to accept Turkish participation.

He added that Israel is likely to seek conditions, possibly pushing for a compromise in which Türkiye’s role would be technical rather than armed, but stressed that pressure from the US administration would be decisive.

Second phase commitments

On the so-called Peace Council, Bahbah noted that Trump has spoken of many world leaders wanting to join it, stressing that membership would not be free and would entail commitments, including funding, providing security forces, or other obligations.

Asked about potential members, he said names he has seen for the executive council include US envoys Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British prime minister Tony Blair, former US ambassador Richard Grenell, and former Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov.

On Gaza’s administration, Bahbah revealed that a list of 42 candidates for a technocratic committee has been approved by Hamas, Fatah, and Egypt, adding that Health Minister Abu Ramadan is likely to chair the committee.

Despite talk of obstacles to moving to the second phase, Bahbah said he expects it to be launched in the first or second week of January, specifically after the Trump-Netanyahu summit resolves outstanding issues.

He denied knowledge of any arrangements for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to attend the summit.

Trump will not allow the agreement to fail, he remarked, describing this as “100 percent certain” and adding that Hamas remains committed to the ceasefire despite continued Israeli violations.

Bahbah said the movement understands that Israel is seeking any pretext to resume what he described as acts of annihilation in Gaza and is therefore showing greater restraint to deny it that opportunity.

Arab World

Report: RSF Destroying Evidence of Atrocities in Sudan

The Sudanese flag flutters in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum on December 13, 2025. (AFP)
The Sudanese flag flutters in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum on December 13, 2025. (AFP)
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Report: RSF Destroying Evidence of Atrocities in Sudan

The Sudanese flag flutters in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum on December 13, 2025. (AFP)
The Sudanese flag flutters in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum on December 13, 2025. (AFP)

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces destroyed and concealed evidence of mass killings they committed after overrunning the Darfur city of el-Fasher, a new report has found.

Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), which has used satellite imagery to monitor atrocities since the RSF's war with the army began, said on Tuesday the group "destroyed and concealed evidence of its widespread mass killings" in the North Darfur state capital.

The RSF's violent takeover of the army's last holdout position in the Darfur region in October led to international outrage over reports of summary executions, systematic rape and mass detention.

The HRL said that in the aftermath of the takeover, it had identified 150 clusters of objects consistent with human remains.

Dozens were consistent with reports of execution-style killings, and dozens more with reports of the RSF killing civilians as they fled.

Within a month, nearly 60 of those clusters were no longer visible, while eight earth disturbances appeared near the sites of mass killing, the HRL said.

It said the disturbances were not consistent with civilian burial practices.

"Largescale and systematic mass killing and body disposal has occurred," the report determined, estimating the death toll in the city to be in the tens of thousands.

Aid groups and the United Nations have repeatedly demanded safe access to el-Fasher, where communications remain cut and an estimated tens of thousands of survivors are trapped, many detained by the RSF.

The UN has called the Sudan conflict a "a war of atrocities".

There is no confirmed death toll from the Sudan war which began in April 2023, with estimates at more than 150,000.

The fighting has also displaced millions of people, and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises.

Efforts to end the war have repeatedly faltered.