‘Phase two of ceasefire unlikely to start in January’
Yusuf Alabarda, a former NATO officer and columnist for Turkiye’s Aksam newspaper, has told Al Jazeera he is not confident that phase two of the ceasefire will start in January as planned.
That phase would concern stabilisation, demilitarisation and reconstruction, as well as the deployment of an international stabilisation force.
But Israel has repeatedly signalled it is dragging its feet, he said, pointing to the refusal to move forward until the final captive’s body is returned, as stipulated in the first phase of the deal.
“This is only for creating an excuse”, Alabarda said. “Palestinian authorities have many times clearly declared that… due to the Israeli bombings, they do not know where the dead bodies of the captives have been buried.”
“It is understandable, because the air bombardment, which was done by the Israeli air forces, was heavier than during the Second World War”, he said.
US official says ceasefire ‘cannot move forward’ until final captive body returned
The deputy US envoy to the United Nations, Jennifer Locetta, has told the Security Council that the ceasefire in Gaza cannot move forward until the body of the final remaining Israeli captive has been returned.
The statement echoes the position of Israeli officials, who have said the second phase of the ceasefire cannot begin until all the captives’ bodies have been returned.
Hamas has said recovering the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili remains difficult due to the widespread destruction wrought by Israel’s air strikes. Critics have accused Israel of using the situation to delay beginning the second phase of the deal.
“The world knows that Hamas and its affiliates knew the location of every hostage, and President Trump was clear as part of the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, every hostage must come home,” said Locetta, the alternative representative for special political affairs at the UN.
“Ran’s body must be returned to his parents and siblings. Now, we cannot move forward until he is home.”
