UPDATE: Hamas has confirmed it will hand over the body of a deceased hostage at 5 PM local time on December 3, 2025, as Israel prepares to open the Rafah Crossing for Palestinians needing medical care. This critical development follows the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where at least 16,500 patients require urgent medical attention outside the war-torn enclave.
In a significant move, Israel has announced it will allow the Rafah Crossing to open in the coming days, facilitating the exit of residents to Egypt. This decision aims to alleviate the dire situation within Gaza and comes as part of a ceasefire agreement reached earlier. The expected handover of the last two deceased hostages marks the completion of a key condition set forth in U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the two-year conflict.
As of now, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 26 bodies in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees. However, two deceased individuals remain unreturned: Israeli police officer Ran Gvili and Thai citizen Sudthisak Rinthalak, both captured during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the current hostilities.
The Red Cross has been instrumental in facilitating these exchanges. Hamas indicated that it discovered the body of one of the deceased hostages during a search operation in northern Gaza, conducted in collaboration with Red Cross personnel. The group has not specified which of the two remaining deceased hostages it will hand over.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that the remains handed over on Tuesday for forensic testing were not related to any of the deceased hostages. The Israeli military, through COGAT, emphasized that the Rafah Crossing’s reopening would be coordinated with Egypt and monitored by a European Union mission.
As violence has decreased since the ceasefire, reports indicate that Israeli forces continue to conduct operations in Gaza, targeting what they claim to be Hamas infrastructure. Tragically, despite the ceasefire, civilian casualties persist, with health officials at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City reporting that two Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire on Wednesday.
The Rafah Crossing, historically a vital gateway for aid and medical evacuations, has remained largely closed throughout the conflict. Many Gazans have sought medical treatment abroad via Israel, but the numbers remain alarmingly high.
This latest announcement underscores the urgency of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, as families continue to suffer from the lasting impacts of the conflict. Both Hamas and Israel have been trading accusations of ceasefire violations, further complicating the fragile peace.
Stay tuned for more updates as the situation develops. The opening of the Rafah Crossing could significantly impact thousands of lives in Gaza, and the handover of the deceased hostages is a poignant moment in this ongoing crisis.
