US Vice-President JD Vance arrives in Israel to bolster fragile Gaza ceasefire

US VicePresident JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday in a highstakes diplomatic mission aimed at stabilizing the fragile ceasefire in Gaza news agency AP reported The USbrokered truce has shown signs of unravelling in recent days amid renewed violence and uncertainty about the longterm peace processVancersquos visit follows the arrival of two senior White House envoys and is part of the US administrationrsquos broader push to secure a lasting end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas Accompanied by his wife Usha the vicepresident is scheduled to remain in the region until ThursdayWhile in Israel Vance will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold a news conference in Jerusalem AP reported He is also expected to meet with families of hostages mdash both those who were released last week and others whose remains are still believed to be held in GazaMortal remains of hostage returned amid ceasefire tensionsIsrael confirmed on Tuesday that Hamas has returned the body of Tal Haimi a 42yearold father of four and member of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhaks emergency response team He was abducted during the Hamasled October 7 2023 attack that triggered the warAs part of the ceasefire terms Hamas has agreed to return the remains of 15 hostages AP reported Thirteen bodies including Haimirsquos have been handed over so farHamas reaffirms commitment to peace dealDespite sporadic violence Hamas chief negotiator Khalil alHayya speaking from Cairo reiterated the grouprsquos commitment to the ceasefire agreement signed at the Sharm elSheikh Summit The summit which was hosted by Egyptian President AbdelFattah elSissi and attended by world leaders including US President Donald Trump was seen as a landmark moment declaring the Gaza warrsquos endAlHayya stated that Hamas had received strong assurances from international mediators and President Trump that reinforced their belief the war was truly over He urged Israel to step up aid deliveries particularly in preparation for winter including shelter materials and medical suppliesRenewed clashes raise concernsDespite the ceasefire violence has continued On Sunday two Israeli soldiers were killed in Rafah in areas under Israeli control Israel responded with airstrikes that killed 45 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry The total Palestinian death toll since the ceasefire began stands at 80More clashes were reported Monday in Gaza City and Khan Younis The Israeli military accused militants of crossing the designated yellow line mdash a buffer zone established as part of the truce mdash and posing an immediate threat to Israeli troops In response Israel is reinforcing the line with concrete barriers and markersQatar and international pressureQatar a key mediator in the ceasefire negotiations condemned Israel for what it described as repeated violations of the truce In a speech Tuesday Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani criticized Israelrsquos actions in Gaza and its continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank while reaffirming Qatarrsquos role in supporting a peaceful resolutionAllegations of mistreatment and war crimesControversy has erupted over the condition of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel Gazarsquos Health Ministry claims many of the 150 returned bodies show signs of torture mdash including rope marks shackles burns and crushed limbs Only 32 of the bodies have been identified so farDr Muneer alBoursh the ministryrsquos general director called the alleged abuses ldquoa war crime and a crime against humanityrdquo and demanded an urgent independent investigation by the United NationsIn response Israelrsquos Prison Service denied all allegations of mistreatment asserting that all detainees are held in accordance with legal standards and provided with adequate careIsraeli hostages recently released from Gaza have also described severe mistreatment including being shackled beaten and deprived of foodWith AP inputs