Grieving Bury Bury one of the last hostages from Gaza when the conversations for Ceasefire Future begin

Jerusalem (AP) – mourners in Israel buried the remains of one of the last hostages on Friday that were published in the first phase of the ceasefire between the militants of Hamas and Israel when the negotiators discussed a second phase who ended the war in Gaza and returned home.

The funeral procession for Tsachi Idan, an enthusiastic football fan who was 49 years old when he was kidnapped by Militants of Hamas, began on the way to the cemetery where he was buried at a private ceremony.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Idan, who was taken from Kibbutz Laach Oz during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, was killed in captivity in Gaza.

His body was one of four over 600 Palestinian prisoners released from Hamas early Thursday, the last planned exchange of the first phase of the ceasefire, which began in January.

Idan was the only one in his family who was brought to Gaza. His eldest daughter Maayaner was killed when militant shot through the door of her safe. Hamas' militants broadcast live on Facebook to keep the Idan family in their house when his two younger children ask the militants to let them go.

“My brother is the real hero. He stopped, ”said Idan's sister Noam Idan Ben Ezra in an interview on Friday on the Israeli radio. She said.

“Tsachi was left twice. The first time he was kidnapped by his house and the second time when the deal spanned the air, ”she added. “The fact that Tsachi is not next to me today is the result of decision -making and politics here in Israel. You didn't listen to us at the time, but it's not too late to listen to us today. “

Concern about remaining hostages

With the first phase of the Ceasefire deal, which is supposed to end on Saturday, relatives of hostages, which are still held in Gaza, increase the pressure on Netanyahu, the release of their relatives.

According to Israel, 32 of the 59 hostages are still dead in Gaza, and there was concern about the well -being of an unknown number that is still alive, especially after three hostages were published on February 8.

One of the three, Eli Sharabi, said in an interview with Israel's channel 12 Friday that he and other hostages in iron chains were held, starved or sometimes beaten or humiliated.

“During the first three days, my hands are tied behind my back, my legs are tied, with ropes that tear into her meat, and a bit of food, a little water during the day,” he said in one of the first interviews of a hostage that was released under the current deal. “I remember that because of the pain I hadn't fallen asleep, the ropes are already digging into your meat, and every movement makes you scream.”

After his release, Sharabi found that his wife and daughters were killed during the attack on October 7th.

The next phase of the ceasefire

Officials from Israel, Qatar and the United States have started the state information service of Egypt with “intensive discussions” about the second phase of the ceasefire in Cairo. The agreement requires these discussions to end the war, with the return of all remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The Hamas said in a statement that it was published on Friday that it “confirms her complete obligation to implement all conditions of the agreement in all phases and details”. It asked the international community to put Israel under pressure to “continue immediately without delay or alternate to the second phase”.

Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the first phase by 42 days, and said that he violated the ceasefire contract, a member of the group who asked for anonymity to discuss negotiations for closed doors. The Israeli proposal stipulates to expand the ceasefire by the Islamic Holy Month in return for an additional exchange, said the Hamas member.

Netanyah's office confirmed that he had sent a delegation to Cairo.

Mediators in the conversations “also discuss opportunities to improve the provision of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in order to relieve the suffering of the population and to support stability in the region,” says Netanyahu's declaration.

The negotiators of Israel should return home on Friday evening, said an Israeli official who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the conversations with closed doors. The negotiations are to be continued on Saturday, the official said. However, it was not clear whether the Israeli team would travel back to Cairo to take part in them.

Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said on Friday that the coming days were “critical” and asked Israel and Hamas to fulfill their obligations.

In the first phase of the ceasefire, which held 15 months in the break, 33 hostages, including eight corpses, were published in return for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu swore to return all hostages and to destroy Hamas' military and government skills that have control over Gaza strips.

However, it is unclear how Israel would destroy Hamas without resuming the war, and Hamas is unlikely that the remaining hostages – its main hearing chips – are without permanent ceasefire.

According to Palestinian health officers who do not distinguish between civil and combative deaths, but say that more than half of the dead are women and children, the Israeli military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians.

The Palestinians are preparing for Ramadan in the middle of destroyed houses

Palestinians who returned to the destroyed houses in Gaza City began on Friday to prepare for Ramadan and shop for essential household goods and food. Some say that the Islamic holy month feels better than one last year, but still far from being normal.

“The situation is very difficult for people and life is very difficult. Most people – their houses were destroyed. Some people cannot afford to shop for Ramadan, but our belief in God is great because he never forgets to bless people, ”said Nasser Shoueikh, based in Gaza City.

Ramadan is a sacred Islamic month in which attentive Muslims all over the world practice the ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset. It is often known for increased prayers, charity and spirituality as well as family meetings that enjoy different dishes and desserts during the Iftar when Muslims break their fasting, and Suhoor, the last meal before sunrise.

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Associated Press Writer Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv and Fatma Khaled in Cairo.

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