Gaza ceasefire live: JD Vance warns of ‘very, very tough task ahead’ as he meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem

US vice president says plan needed for rebuild of Gaza and also the disarmament of HamasIsrael has completed the identification of the bodies of two more hostages, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Wednesday, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Authorities identified the deceased hostages as Arie Zalmanovich and Tamir Adar. Their bodies were transported in coffins by the Red Cross and handed over to the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip. A military ceremony attended by the chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces was planned for later in the day, Netanyahu’s office said.
The two were killed in kibbutz Nir Oz during the 7 October 2023, attack by Hamas militants, which triggered the two-year war.
Since the ceasefire began on 10 October, the remains of 15 hostages have been returned to Israel. Another 13 still need to be recovered in Gaza and handed over, a key element to the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, the burial of more than 50 Palestinians is set for Wednesday at a cemetery in Deir al-Balah, Gaza. The bodies were displayed outside Nasser hospital in Khan Younis ahead of burial. The 50 are among the 165 bodies of Palestinians that Israel has so far handed over.Qatar and the US have written to EU heads of state expressing concern over the bloc’s corporate sustainability rules and their potential impact on liquefied natural gas exports, a statement from QatarEnergy showed on Wednesday, Reuters reports. Continue reading...