Israel awakes to a bittersweet morning of returns and loss
Recent events between Israel and Hamas have proven how fragile the ceasefire is.
Today is Monday, Israel is waking up to a bittersweet reality. Every living hostage is in the house. However, many families only accepted the coffin. Over the past day, Hamas returned additional remains, and the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed through the Red Cross that “Israel… has received the bodies of two hostages.”
The war did not end with the landing of the last helicopter. Our soldiers are still in danger, and our civilians are under threat.
The IDF reported that Palestinian terrorists in the Rafah area opened fire on Israeli troops throughout the night and vowed to take “tough action” in response. A later update said the attackers “fired RPGs and opened sniper fire” at forces operating there. Independent reports described Israeli attacks in southern Gaza after militants “attacked Israeli troops with an RPG, underlining how fragile the ceasefire is.”
After instructing the Israeli armed forces to respond with force against terrorist targets in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the closure of all Gaza crossings and the halt of all aid to the Strip. The decision came after the IDF announced it would launch an attack on Hamas in Rafah after the terror group fired anti-tank missiles and fired at Israeli soldiers.
Netanyahu’s first order for Israel to respond strongly came during a consultation with Defense Minister Israel Katz and the heads of Israel’s security institutions, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Family and friends mourn the funeral of Uriel Baruch in Jerusalem on October 19, 2025. Baruch was taken hostage in Gaza by Hamas on October 7 and was killed in captivity. Hamas handed over his body to Israel a few days ago. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
This is the time to be clear about first principles. The agreement that brings our people home also requires Hamas to hand over any deceased it can reach. Not. The latest records said the latest handover “brings the number of bodies returned to 12,” with “16 more…still required to be returned” and that “all 28 bodies were expected to be returned by last Monday.”
Hamas told negotiators it needed special rescue equipment to reach other people under the rubble, but that does not absolve it of its obligation to deliver on what it promised. A promise is a promise. Keep it.
US ambassadors reach milestone
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff: your visit has reached a turning point. Help translate existing draft into actionable steps with dates, validation, and results. Push for a clear matrix linking third-party monitoring of handovers, coordinated access and ongoing assistance for recovery teams, and measurable compliance.
Encourage mediators to treat delays as violations and not as atmospherics. Encourage both sides to keep humanitarian channels open when the guns fall silent and when they don’t. The goal is simple and absolutely non-negotiable. Finish the first part of this agreement before writing the second.
Israel, on the other hand, must continue to treat the martyrs with dignity and transparency. Finally, the remains were transported to the National Forensic Science Center for identification. This careful and professional process gives families the truth they deserve.
At the same time, the state must protect its soldiers and civilians when attacked. The government instructed the Israeli Armed Forces to respond harshly to violations while maintaining the ceasefire architecture. This is not aggression; It is the minimum duty of a state towards its soldiers.
The second journey begins
Families of the dead now begin a second journey measured by identity updates, funerals and empty chairs. The state owes them clarity on timing and respect in their own language. This means candid briefings on painstaking forensic work, timely notification before any public announcements, and grief resources that don’t disappear after the first week.
This also means national solidarity that resists the urge to turn suffering into politics. The return of the remains is not a public relations milestone. It is an agreement with citizens who entrust their children to the country and who deserve truth, dignity, existence and accountability.
There is also a broader context that is important. Even if bodies are exchanged, each side accuses the other of testing the ceasefire. Hamas’ line today was to blame Israel for “violations” and admit that more bodies were handed over. The facts are still bare. Twenty living Israelites came to the house. Not all of the dead have it. Both can be true, and both require action.
The moral horizon has not changed since October 7. Kidnapping civilians was a crime. Keeping them for two years exacerbated the situation. Hiding prolongs the persecution. Israel is right to insist on the return of all those alive or dead. The agreement created a path. Stay on it. Finish it. Bring it all back.
