GAZA CITY, Palestine: Hamas on Sunday handed over the remains of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, seized during fighting in Rafah in 2014, as Israeli forces continued strikes in Gaza despite a fragile US-brokered ceasefire.
Israel’s prime minister’s office said the remains were transferred by the Red Cross in Gaza and received by Israel Defence Forces and Shin Bet personnel.
Israeli forensic teams will examine the remains to confirm identity, the office added. Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, told mediators it had found the remains in a tunnel in Rafah, according to Al Jazeera.
If confirmed, Goldin would be the 24th deceased hostage whose remains have been returned by Hamas since the ceasefire began on 10 October, according to Israeli statements.
At the start of the truce, Hamas was holding dozens of living hostages and the bodies of deceased hostages; all the living hostages have since been released under the US-brokered deal, Israeli officials say.
Israeli strikes and civilian deaths
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes have continued across Gaza. Palestinian authorities reported fresh deaths and injuries, and residents described ongoing bombardment and drone attacks.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said one person was killed and five were wounded in the past 24 hours, and that six bodies were recovered and brought to hospitals across the Strip.
The ministry says that since the ceasefire took effect on 11 October some 241 Palestinians have been killed and 619 wounded, with 528 bodies recovered.
Since 7 October 2023, the ministry reports a total of 69,176 Palestinians killed and 170,690 wounded.
Strikes beyond the “yellow line”
Residents in areas east of Khan Younis said Israeli forces struck a tent in Bani Suheila, killing a man who they said had not crossed the so-called “yellow line” that Israel uses to mark areas of control.
Locals said drones and explosions continued to be heard and that fears of a resumption of full-scale hostilities remain high.
Hamas said mediators must act to preserve the ceasefire and prevent what it called false pretexts for renewed Israeli operations.
The Palestinian group expressed concern for its fighters reported to be trapped in underground tunnels in Rafah and urged mediators to resolve the issue.
Aid workers and residents warned of severe environmental damage in parts of Gaza. They said water sources and infrastructure have been contaminated after months of fighting, leaving displaced families exposed to health risks.
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that damage to water and sanitation systems threatens public health across the densely populated territory.
UN agency and media access
Tamara Alrifai, director of external relations at UNRWA, said the agency’s Palestinian staff — some 12,000 people — continue to provide services inside Gaza even though Israeli legislation has barred international staff from entering.
Alrifai told Al Jazeera that international colleagues are managing the response remotely and that limitations on direct engagement with Israeli authorities have hampered logistics for life-saving programmes.
Journalists and press freedom advocates also reported restrictions and risks. Maha Hussaini, a journalist and rights advocate, told Al Jazeera that independent reporters face obstacles entering Gaza and that Palestinian journalists work under constant threat from drone attacks and bombardment while trying to document events on the ground.
Reports of prison abuses and detainee accounts
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, as reported by Wafa news agency, said prisoners in Israel’s Ofer Prison face harsh conditions in the Gilad section, alleging overcrowding, shortages of hygiene items and routine punishments.
AFP reported that Palestinian photojournalist Shadi Abu Sidou detailed alleged mistreatment during nearly 100 days in Israeli detention, saying guards had subjected prisoners to severe restrictions and ill-treatment.
