• Hamas has handed over remains of what may be one of the last two hostages to Israel.
• Israel plans to reopen the Rafah crossing for medical evacuations and other travel.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed prior remains did not belong to either of the deceased hostages.
• The U.S.-backed ceasefire plan includes future talks on Gaza governance and reconstruction.
• The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical, with thousands needing medical care.

Israel received remains that Hamas claims could belong to one of the last two deceased hostages in Gaza. The transfer of the remains to Israel was facilitated by the Red Cross, as part of a ceasefire agreement initiated after a violent conflict that broke out following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that forensic identification of the remains will take place to determine their true identity, following previous tests that showed remains handed over earlier did not belong to any of the hostages, according to Reuters and BBC.

The remains being returned are part of an agreement where the return of all hostages was a condition of a ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S. Among the identified deceased hostages are Israeli police officer Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak, both allegedly killed during the October attacks. Hamas has insisted it is working to recover the bodies from rubble, reports indicate, despite accusations from Israel that Hamas has been stalling the process, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

The Rafah crossing, which borders Gaza and Egypt, has been closed since the conflict began, but discussions have indicated it may soon reopen for medical evacuations. The U.S. has emphasized the need for access to medical care for the thousands of wounded in Gaza. COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian actions, stated that the crossing will open with coordination from Egypt, although Egypt has expressed the need for the crossing to facilitate travel in both directions, as reports have explained, according to Channel News Asia and Anadolu Agency.

As further clarification of the circumstances surrounding the remains unfolds, both sides have continued to accuse each other of failing to comply with various ceasefire conditions. The situation within Gaza remains dire, with the latest figures indicating over 70,000 fatalities since the conflict escalated, mainly among civilians, according to Anadolu Agency and South China Morning Post.