By Khaled Yousef and Betul Yilmaz
JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (AA) - An Israeli delegation held talks with mediators of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Egypt on Thursday to discuss the return of the last Israeli hostage from the enclave.
A statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the delegation, headed by National Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, Gal Hirsch, discussed with mediators the return of the body of Israeli soldier Ran Gvili from Gaza under the ceasefire deal.
“At the conclusion of the talks, it was agreed to focus on an intensive and immediate effort that will lead to the full completion of the mission regarding the hostages and the missing,” the office said.
There was no immediate comment from Egypt or other mediators on the Israeli statement.
The ceasefire deal has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10, mediated by Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, and backed by the US.
Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.
Israel ties the start of negotiations for launching the second phase of the ceasefire agreement to receiving the bodies of all its captives. It claims that the remains of one Israeli captive are still in Gaza, while Hamas says it has handed over all 20 Israeli hostages who were alive and the remains of all 28 who were killed.
Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 171,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.