Wednesday 28/January/2026 – 08:10 AM
The Israeli government decided to stop the symbolic clock that used to calculate the duration of detention of the hostages who were taken to the Gaza Strip during the Hamas attack in October 2023, 844 days after it was put into operation in a Tel Aviv square, where it turned into a focal point for the gathering of those demanding the release of the hostages.
The decision comes after the Israeli army announced on Monday that it had recovered the remains of the last hostage from Gaza, 24-year-old policeman Rani Jafeli, who was killed in combat during the attack.
The decision coincided with the announcement by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, citing informed sources, that the Gaza Strip is moving to the second phase of field arrangements, after the body of the last Israeli prisoner was found.
The authority added that the Rafah border crossing is expected to be opened within the next two days, also confirming that the Palestinian Technocratic Committee will soon enter the Gaza Strip to carry out its duties, under direct pressure from the American side.
American pressure to begin reconstruction of Gaza
The authority also revealed that the Trump administration is pushing hard to accelerate the pace of Gaza’s reconstruction, and urgently calls for expanding the scope of rubble removal operations to pave the way for construction projects scheduled in the next phase.
This political and field movement comes in the wake of the Israeli occupation army officially announcing that it had found the body of Sergeant Ran Guili, who had been detained in the Gaza Strip since the events of October 7, 2023.
The body was found after inspections that included examining hundreds of bodies in mass graves in the Shujaiya area in the Gaza Strip, which contributed to the completion of one of the thorny files that were hindering progress towards the second phase and the opening of vital crossings, according to the occupation government.
On the other hand, Gazans are waiting for the crossing to open to obtain treatment outside the Strip, amid a severe shortage of medicines and medical services. Palestinian citizens confirmed that health conditions have become critical, and that there is hope that they will be allowed to travel to receive treatment.
