Recent incidents between Israel and Hamas have demonstrated how fragile the ceasefire remains.
Today, Monday, Israel wakes up to a bittersweet truth. Every living hostage is at home. But too many families only received a coffin. Over the past day, Hamas has returned more remains and the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed through the Red Cross that “Israel received… the bodies of two hostages.”
The war did not end with the last helicopter landing. Our soldiers are still in danger and our civilians remain threatened.
Overnight, the IDF reported that Palestinian terrorists in the Rafah area had fired on Israeli troops and vowed to “take firm action” in response. A later update said the attackers “fired RPGs and carried out sniper fire” on the forces operating there. Independent reports described Israeli strikes in southern Gaza after militants “attacked Israeli troops with an RPG”, underscoring how fragile the truce remains.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli armed forces to respond forcefully against terrorist targets in Gaza before later ordering the closure of all Gaza crossings and a halt to all aid into the Gaza Strip. The move comes after the IDF announced strikes against Hamas in Rafah after the terrorist group fired an anti-tank missile and fired on Israeli soldiers.
Netanyahu’s initial order for Israel to respond forcefully came during a consultation with Defense Minister Israel Katz and leaders of Israel’s security establishment, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.
Family and friends mourn during the funeral of Uriel Baruch, in Jerusalem, October 19, 2025. Baruch was taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza on October 7 and murdered in captivity. Hamas returned his body to Israel a few days ago. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Now is the time to be clear about first principles. The agreement that brought our people home also requires Hamas to deliver the deceased to whom it has access. This is not the case. Recent tallies indicate that the latest handover “brings the number of bodies returned to 12,” with “another 16… remaining to be returned” and that “all 28 were supposed to have been handed over last Monday.”
Hamas told mediators it needed specialized recovery equipment to reach others beneath the ruins, but that does not erase its obligation to do what it promised. A promise is a promise. Keep it.
US envoys reach inflection point
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff: Your visit is coming to an inflection point. Help turn the current plan into enforceable steps with dates, check-ins, and consequences. Push for third-party monitoring of transfers, coordinated access for recovery teams, and a clear matrix that links ongoing support to measurable compliance.
Urge mediators to treat delays as violations, not weather conditions. Encourage both sides to keep humanitarian channels open when the guns fall silent and when they do not. The goal is simple and absolutely non-negotiable. Complete the first chapter of this offering before writing the second.
Israel, for its part, must continue to treat victims with dignity and transparency. The most recent remains were transferred to the National Center for Forensic Medicine for identification. This thorough and professional process gives families the truth they deserve.
At the same time, the state must protect its troops and civilians in the event of attack. The government called on the IDF to respond firmly to violations while respecting the architecture of the ceasefire. This is not belligerence; it is the minimum duty of a State towards its soldiers.
A second journey begins
The victims’ families now begin a second journey, one measured in identification updates, funerals and empty chairs. The State owes them clarity on deadlines and respect in its language. That means frank information about careful forensic work, timely notification before any public statements are made, and grief resources that don’t disappear after the first week.
It also means national solidarity that resists the temptation to turn pain into politics. The return of remains is not a major public relations step. It is a pact with citizens who have entrusted their children to the country and who deserve truth, dignity, presence and responsibility.
There is also a broader context that matters. Even as bodies are exchanged, each side accuses the other of testing the truce. Hamas’ line today was to blame Israel for its “violations”, while acknowledging that more bodies were being handed over. The facts remain dark. Twenty Israelis returned home alive. Not all the deceased did this. Both can be true, and both require action.
The moral horizon has not changed since October 7. The kidnapping of civilians was a crime. Keeping them for two years made the situation worse. Detention prolongs cruelty. Israel is right to insist on the return of every person, living or dead. The agreement paved the way. Stay on it. Finish it. Bring them all back.
