Israel recovers hostages’ bodies as Gaza crisis deepens, aid group reopens sites after delays

Israel has recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages, Judi Weinstein-Haggai and Gad Haggai, in a special military operation in Gaza’s Khan Younis area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Thursday. 

The couple was among the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel. An estimated 56 hostages remain in captivity, with fewer than half believed to be alive.

The war has devastated Gaza, where over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials. Israeli strikes on Thursday alone killed at least 20 people, including four journalists, as operations intensify following the collapse of a ceasefire in March.

Israel is facing increased global condemnation, particularly after a U.S. veto blocked a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.

US group distributing aid in Gaza reopens sites after delays

The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) resumed limited aid distribution in Rafah after halting operations due to deadly shootings near its sites. Though GHF claims 7 million meals have been distributed, the organization has faced strong criticism from the U.N. and aid groups for working under Israeli military oversight and allegedly displacing Palestinians by centralizing aid sites in southern Gaza.

Amid dire humanitarian conditions, Eid al-Adha begins with widespread food shortages. Access to aid is limited, especially in northern Gaza, where many residents remain cut off.

Meanwhile, political tensions are growing in Israel after opposition lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman accused the government of arming local Palestinian militias. While Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office did not deny the claim, it stated that actions were taken based on security recommendations. Reports suggest Israel supplied weapons to clan leader Yasser Abu Shabab to help secure aid convoys, sparking further conflict with Hamas, which considers him a collaborator.

The war continues to escalate with no clear path to resolution, and aid efforts remain fragmented and controversial amid widespread destruction and suffering.