Ceasefire progress due

ISRAEL'S Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel and Hamas are “very shortly expected to move into the second phase of the ceasefire”, after Hamas returns the remains of the last hostage being held in Gaza.

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The comments were made during a news conference yesterday with Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was visiting Israel. Mr Netanyahu stressed that the second phase of the ceasefire - the disarming of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza could begin as soon as the end of the month.

The Hamas militant group is still holding the remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer who was killed on October 7, 2023, during the attack on southern Israel by Hamas-led militants that ignited the war in Gaza, and whose body was taken to Gaza.