Palestinians cross a flooded street after heavy rain in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, on December 11.
Abdel Karim Hana/AP
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Abdel Karim Hana/AP
TEL AVIV, Israel — Efforts to recover the body of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza have been hampered by heavy rains and bad weather in the enclave, according to an Israeli official who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“Search operations and ongoing clearance efforts have been coordinated but are currently delayed due to weather conditions in the northern Gaza Strip,” the official said.
The official told NPR that search efforts “are expected to resume as soon as ground conditions permit.”
The start of the second phase of a US-brokered ceasefire has been delayed until Hamas hands over the last body to Israeli authorities.
The second stage involves Hamas laying down its arms and withdrawing Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
The body of Ran Gwili, killed while trying to help people escape the Nova music festival, is the latest Israeli hostage held by Hamas. Gwili was 24 years old and a member of an elite police unit.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which has been advocating for the return of hostages since the war began, told NPR that “there are no search operations underway at this time” because weather conditions do not permit it.
The Israeli military did not confirm the delay in the search for Gwili's body, but called on Hamas to “keep up its side of the agreement.”
Hamas Gaza spokesman Hazem Qassim told NPR that the search effort was “very difficult.”
Both sides accused each other of violating the terms of the first stage of the ceasefire.
Israel has continued to strike the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire was agreed in October, killing more than 380 Palestinians, local health officials said.
Earlier this month, Israeli troops killed a senior Hamas leader whom they considered to be the second-in-command of the group's military wing. Hamas called it a violation of the ceasefire.
Heavy rains have drowned thousands tents used as shelter by already displaced Palestinians.
The UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has asked the Israeli military to allow increased aid in the Gaza Strip.
“The heavy rain and cold brought by Storm Byron are causing people in the Gaza Strip to freeze to death,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. published on X.
Lazzarini said the flooded ruins of buildings were collapsing.
Gaza civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said dozens of Palestinians were killed as buildings collapsed.
“These buildings are a nightmare in Gaza and threaten the lives of thousands of people,” Basal told NPR.
Itai Stern contributed to this report from Tel Aviv. Abu Bakr Bashir provided information from the United Kingdom. Ahmed Abuhamda contributed from Cairo.
