Israel has recovered the remains of the final hostage from Hamas, clearing the way for the next phase of the difficult peace process in Gaza.
by CORY SMITH | The National News DeskTwo women embrace next to a banner with a photo of Ran Gvili after the announcement that the hostage, whose remains were the last to be recovered from Gaza, had been identified, in a plaza known as Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Jan.
26, 2026. Israel has recovered the remains of the final hostage from Hamas, clearing the way for the next phase of the difficult peace process in Gaza.All hostages are back, exchanged for aid and the release of Palestinian prisoners.The Israelis have conducted limited but fairly continuous strikes against Hamas operatives even after the ceasefire began, he said.Now, the really hard part begins, both men said. “I think the path ahead gets a little bit more difficult from here, to be very honest, because you're going to run headlong into sort of thorny issues about Hamas disarmament,” Cohen said. Securing the final hostage should mark the transition to Phase II of the peace plan, which should include the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, Hamas disarmament, and a partial pullback of Israeli forces, which are now occupying more than half of Gaza.And Gray said all of these complicated issues are intertwined. There's not going to be any meaningful reconstruction before a significant Israeli pullback, because no one's going to want to invest significant amounts of money just to have it risked by further military operations, Gray said. And an international stabilization force should, in theory, oversee the disarmament of Hamas. But that force has not been identified or introduced to Gaza yet.But the ultimate success of the plan won’t be known for years.FILE - Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 13, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza. “The 20-point plan also talks about a dialogue between Israel and Palestinians on peaceful coexistence. It was the last point in the 20-point plan. It was the most, probably the most nebulous one,” Gray said. “And I think if we're talking reconstruction is going to take years, establishing whatever that political resolution is going to take even more, even longer, unfortunately.” Cohen said there’s an incentive for both sides to see the peace plan through, even if it’s a slow, arduous process.So, the terrorist group isn’t likely to want to slide back to full-scale hostilities. And Cohen said the Israelis have an incentive to keep pushing peace forward under pressure from the Trump administration and with other concerns, notably an unstable Gray said both sides have limited room to maneuver, which could complicate the second and potentially third phases of the peace process.Teens sentenced to 3 years behind bars for Hocking Hills photographer death Two teens are set to be sentenced after pleading guilty toinvoluntary manslaughter for rolling a log off a cliff at Hocking Hills which hit and killed Ross County photographerVictoria Schafer. Both of the teens, Jaden Churchheus and Jordan Buckley, pleaded guilty in September to involuntarymanslaughter, avoiding murder and reckless homicide charges while having their cases moved back to juvenile court. As a result, both teenswill get three years in a youth detention center.Franklin County issued a level 3 snow emergency for the first time since Ohio began its current county-by-county snow level system.Windy and frigid today with wind chills as low as -25. Scattered light snow showers later today. Flurries later this week with a mix of sun and clouds while staA Columbus man is taking an act of kindness to the next level, showing the beauty that is coming out of the mess the snowstorm made on Sunday.Cold Weather and Snow Advisory remains in effect this morning and afternoon with wind chill values of -15 to -10 possible. Stay with us on this story.
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Israel says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recoveredIsrael says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered, clearing the way for the next phase of the ceasefire that stopped the Israel-Hamas war.
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Israel says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recoveredThe remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered, Israel's military said Monday, clearing the way for the next phase of the ceasefire that paused the Israel-Hamas war.
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Israel confirms no more hostages in Gaza as ceasefire moves to second phaseRan Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer, was killed in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that started the war.
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Israel says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recoveredIsrael says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered, clearing the way for the next phase of the ceasefire that stopped the Israel-Hamas war.
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Israel recovers last hostage’s remains in Gaza as ceasefire moves into tricky new phaseThe next step is likely to be the reopening of Gaza’s border with Egypt, enabling Palestinians to move in both directions and more aid to enter the territory devastated by two years of war.
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