Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Wednesday that Israel is solely responsible for its national security and “not a protectorate of the United States,” ahead of a key meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in Jerusalem to discuss the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and future plans for the territory.
The comments, issued in a statement from Netanyahu’s office, appeared aimed at addressing rising domestic concerns over international involvement in Gaza’s post-war security. Discussions have intensified around the potential deployment of a multinational security force in the enclave an idea that some in Israel fear could curtail its freedom of military action.
“Israel is the one that will decide on its security,” Netanyahu said, drawing a firm line as talks continued on how to stabilize Gaza while ensuring Hamas does not reemerge as a threat.
Vice President Vance, speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, acknowledged the enormity of the challenges facing any peace initiative, but struck a hopeful tone.
“We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza to make life better for the people there, and ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel,” said Vance. “There’s a lot of work to do, but I feel very optimistic about where we are.”
Vance is also scheduled to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit. He is accompanied by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, whose administration has presented a detailed plan for the ceasefire and reconstruction of Gaza.
Uncertainty continues to cloud the next steps. Questions remain over who will govern Gaza, and how the envisioned international security force possibly involving troops from countries like Turkey and Indonesia—will be structured. Britain has also announced it will send a small contingent of officers to help monitor the ceasefire.
Ceasefire Progress and Repatriations
Since the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 10, the remains of 15 Israeli hostages have been returned, including two more identified Tuesday as Arie Zalmanovich and Tamir Adar. Both were killed during the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, which sparked the two-year war.
According to Israeli authorities, the remains of 13 additional hostages are still believed to be in Gaza and recovering them is a key provision of the ceasefire deal.
In southern Gaza, Palestinian communities prepared on Wednesday for the burial of 54 people whose remains were returned by Israel. Wrapped in white shrouds and draped with Palestinian flags, the bodies were laid out for funeral prayers outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis before being taken to a cemetery in Deir al-Balah.
A senior official from the Gaza Health Ministry said some of the bodies showed “evidence of torture,” calling for an international investigation. Israel has not commented on the condition of the bodies or confirmed their identities. The remains may include those killed in the initial October 7 attacks, Palestinians who died in Israeli custody, or bodies taken from Gaza during the war.
So far, Gaza authorities have managed to identify 52 of the 165 bodies returned by Israel.
NGO Reports Armed Raid on Mental Health Facility
Amid the fragile calm, a leading Palestinian mental health NGO, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, reported that one of its facilities in Gaza City was violently seized by an unidentified armed group on October 13.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the organization said the group expelled guards by force, occupied the building, and moved in their own families. The NGO condemned the takeover as a “blatant attack and serious crime” and called on Palestinian authorities and international ceasefire sponsors to intervene.
It remains unclear why the group delayed reporting the incident, though the organization said it had repeatedly requested action from authorities with no concrete results.
Tributes to Thai Hostage Killed in October 7 Attack
Israelis gathered at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Sonthaya Oakkharasri, a Thai farmworker killed during the Hamas-led attack on October 7. His body, held in Gaza, was returned over the weekend and will now be repatriated to Thailand.
Oakkharasri was remembered as “a devoted father and farmer who dreamed of establishing his own farm,” according to a statement by the Families’ Headquarters for the Return of the Abductees.
Hamas’s attack in 2023 left approximately 1,200 people dead in Israel mostly civilians and saw 251 people taken hostage. The two-year war that followed has devastated Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry reports more than 68,000 Palestinians killed, a figure that includes both civilians and combatants but which Israel disputes. The ministry’s data, however, is widely cited by the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations.
As international leaders continue to search for a path forward, the situation on the ground remains volatile. Talks over reconstruction, governance, and security continue, but the road ahead while paved with optimism from some is fraught with uncertainty.
