Netanyahu reiterates opposition to Palestinian state
The Israeli prime minister made the comments in Jerusalem on Sunday.
The ceasefire in Gaza is broadly holding, with Israeli forces inside the strip having pulled back to the so-called "yellow line."
Nonetheless, sporadic clashes between the Israel Defense Forces and Gaza militants -- plus deadly IDF airstrikes -- continue.
The remains of one deceased hostage are still thought to be in Gaza. Israeli authorities have been releasing Palestinian prisoners and the bodies of deceased Palestinians detainees in exchange for the return of hostage remains.
Key Headlines
- US, allies preparing to announce transition to 2nd phase of Gaza peace plan in 'coming weeks'
- Israel identifies returned remains as Thai national
- Trump says ceasefire going 'well' despite clashes, Israeli strikes
- 4 Israeli soldiers wounded by Hamas, IDF says
- Coffin carrying possible deceased hostage turned over to Red Cross
Coffin carrying possible deceased hostage turned over to Red Cross
The Red Cross is in possession of a coffin of carrying what is believed to be a deceased hostage that will be turned over to Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip, the IDF and the Shin Bet said in a joint statement Wednesday.
The coffin will be taken to Israel for identification.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Egypt denies Rafah crossing opening soon
Egypt’s State Information Service denied the announcement by Israeli authorities that there is coordination to open the Rafah crossing in the "coming days" for departures from the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian officials quoted an official source as saying that if an agreement is reached to open the crossing, movement would be permitted in both directions -- for entry into and exit from Gaza -- in accordance with arrangements outlined in U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan.
Israeli officials earlier on Wednesday said the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip "will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents" from Gaza.
-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor and Ayat Al-Tawy
Rafah crossing to open as exit from Gaza in 'coming days,' COGAT says
The Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip "will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents" from Gaza, the Israeli Ministry of Defense's unit in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, called COGAT, said on Wednesday.
"The residents' exit through the Rafah Crossing will be facilitated through coordination with Egypt, following security approval by Israel and under the supervision of the European Union mission, similar to the mechanism that operated in January 2025," COGAT said in a statement on social media.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Transferred remains don't belong to remaining hostages, Israel says
The most recent remains transferred to Israel from the Gaza Strip match neither of the two hostages thought to be held by Hamas, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said on Wednesday.
The remains returned on Tuesday "are not linked to any of the deceased abductees," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, citing findings from the National Center for Forensic Medicine.
Further information about the remains was not immediately released.
Netanyahu’s office said the families of the two remaining hostages in Hamas hands, both of whom are presumed dead, were notified of the findings.
"The effort to return them will not stop until the mission is completed -- to bring them to a proper burial in their country," Netanyahu’s office said on Wednesday.
-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor and Jordana Miller