HEADLINESLast Gaza hostage identified and returned homeUS carrier group boosts deterrence against IranIsrael fights rising mental health tollThe time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.As of 12:00 PM, day 843 of the Gaza war, Israel announced that the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, Staff-Sergeant-Major Ran Gvili, have been identified and repatriated for burial in Israel. The IDF said the body was recovered in northern Gaza after covert operations conducted over the weekend, with identification confirmed by the National Forensics Institute, rabbinic advisors, and police. A flag-draped coffin was received by mourners and soldiers sang the national anthem as Gvili’s remains were brought home to Meitar.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the development a fulfillment of a promise, saying, “We promised, and I promised, to bring everyone back. We brought them all back, down to the very last captive.” President Isaac Herzog praised the moment, noting that for the first time since 2014 there are no Israeli citizens left hostage in Gaza, and he thanked the teams and partners who helped secure the return. The government’s statement on the matter highlighted the broader toll of the war, noting the lives lost and the injuries suffered by civilians and security forces, and it paid tribute to the 924 IDF soldiers who fell in battle, along with the bereaved families who endured the long ordeal.The operation marks the end of the long hostage saga in Gaza, and it is being framed by Israeli leaders as a milestone in fulfilling a moral obligation to bring the living and the dead home. The Mitt that accompanies the return has been shaped by the broader, US-backed effort to redraw the border security landscape in Gaza and create conditions for a long-term arrangement that Israeli authorities hope will prevent a recurrence of the events of October 7, 2023. Officials stressed that the first phase of the broader peace framework remains ongoing, with the aim of demilitarizing Gaza and enabling a transition toward a non-threatening environment, while humanitarian access and reconstruction proceed.In the immediate hours after Gvili’s identification, leaders in Jerusalem emphasized the need to move forward with reconstruction and security. Netanyahu, speaking in parliament, said the mission to recover all captives was completed and pledged to safeguard Israel’s borders and people. Herzog underscored national unity and resilience, and the government reiterated its commitment to learn lessons from the war and maintain a strong security posture to deter future aggression.Simultaneously, regional and international dynamics continued to unfold. The United States has positioned a carrier strike group and additional air and missile defense assets in the theater as a deterrent against Iran and its proxies, with senior American officials stressing readiness to respond to any escalation. The growing presence of US and allied forces in the region comes as Iran’s perceived influence and its networks remain a core security concern for Israel and many partners in the region.In the Gulf, shifts in alignment and policy are shaping the regional security landscape. Saudi Arabia has signaled a recalibration toward stability and more cautious engagement with regional rivals, while the United Arab Emirates has pressed on with its own strategic calculations, including how it balances its own security concerns with the evolving regional dynamic. Analysts say these shifts could influence how Israel and the United States manage diplomacy, defense cooperation, and the pace of any broad regional realignment.Lebanon’s Hezbollah, meanwhile, warned that Washington’s posture toward Iran risks drawing in a larger conflict. Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Qassem, said the group would respond to any aggression against Iran and that the region would feel the consequences of any such confrontation. The warning highlights the delicate balance regional actors are trying to maintain as geopolitical fault lines run through the area.In Europe and beyond, Italy announced it would push EU partners to place Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on the EU’s terrorist list, citing concerns over the regime’s crackdown on protests and human rights abuses. The move signals growing international pressure on Tehran, even as some EU states have previously resisted such a designation for strategic and diplomatic reasons.Domestically, Israel faces continued social and psychological pressures from the prolonged conflict. New data published this week show rising rates of depression and stress, particularly among communities near Gaza, alongside other indicators of strain on public life and trust in institutions. Officials say addressing mental health and rebuilding social cohesion will be an essential component of the post-conflict period, in addition to physical reconstruction and ...
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