Hamas intends to maintain control of security in Gaza for an interim period, and cannot commit to disarming for now: this was stated in an interview published on the Reuters agency website by Hamas leader Mohammed Nazzal. “Positions which, according to Reuters, “reflect the difficulties the United States faces in ending the war” and show “the main issues that hinder efforts to consolidate the definitive end”.
The office of Israeli Prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu confirmed the identification of the body returned by Hamas overnight as that of 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit. The army “informed the family of hostage Eliyahu Margalit that (his body) has been repatriated to Israel and that his identification has been completed.” Israel “will not compromise” and “will spare no effort until the return of all deceased hostages,every last one,” the statement said.
Netanyahu: “Rafah crossing will not open until further notice”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu “announced that the Rafah border crossing will not be reopened until further notice. its opening will be assessed based on how Hamas will play its role in the return of the deceased hostages and in the implementation of the agreed framework.” This is stated in a note from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.
pizzaballa, the conditions must first be created for peace in Palestine
“Before talking about peace” in Palestine “we need to create the conditions for peace: our generation, we, must prepare the conditions so that the next generation can talk about peace in a credible way”. This was stated by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa,Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latin Church.
Recent reports from Gaza indicate a continuing volatile situation despite the ongoing ceasefire. Concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of bodies returned to Gaza, while separate incidents involving the Israeli Navy and a strike in Gaza City have resulted in casualties.
Allegations of Abuse of returned Bodies
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has reported that some bodies returned as part of the ceasefire agreement show signs of mistreatment, including “abuse, beatings, the use of handcuffs and blindfolding,” and in some cases, mutilation. Similar claims were previously made regarding othre bodies returned under the same agreement. However, the Israeli military has dismissed these claims as “false Hamas propaganda,” asserting that all bodies returned thus far belong to fighters killed within the Gaza Strip. https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-health-ministry-claims-returned-bodies-show-signs-of-abuse/
Autonomous verification of these claims is currently unavailable.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that its naval forces fired warning shots at several Palestinian boats off the southern coast of the Gaza Strip. The IDF stated the boats were “violating the naval blockade and posing a threat” to troops. According to the IDF, the Palestinian boats reversed course after the warning shots were fired, and no injuries were reported. https://www.idf.il/en/news/media-center/2024/05/29/idf-navy-thwarts-attempt-to-violate-naval-blockade/
The naval blockade of Gaza has been in place, with varying degrees of enforcement, since 2007, following Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip. Israel maintains the blockade is necessary to prevent weapons from reaching hamas, while critics argue it constitutes collective punishment of the Gazan population.
Family killed in Gaza City Strike
Eleven members of the same family were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, according to reports from Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/29/israel-kills-28-palestinians-since-ceasefire-came-into-force The IDF stated the vehicle was targeted because it had crossed the “yellow line,” a demarcation established by the Israeli army to define areas under its control.
Al Jazeera reports that Israel has killed 28 Palestinians as the ceasefire began.
Note: This report is based on data available as of May 29, 2024, and the situation is subject to rapid change.Conflicting reports exist regarding several of these incidents,and independent verification is often difficult to obtain.