Israel-Hamas War day 293: What is happening in Israel and Gaza?

IDF troops operated in Khan Yunis in the past few days, demolishing some 50 terror infrastructures.

The IDF and Shin Bet recovered from the Gaza Strip and returned to Israel on Wednesday five bodies of hostages.

In a joint statement, the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced they had recovered the body of Sgt. Kiril Brodski from Gaza early on Thursday morning.

Kiril's body was recovered along with the bodies of three other hostages recovered on Wednesday.

Kiril was killed while fighting on October 7 near Kibbutz Nirim.

A house at Kibbutz Nirim burned on October 7 in the Hamas attack. (credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)

Abducted into Gaza

Kiril's body was abducted into Gaza by Hamas terrorists.

Despite his body being in Gaza, his family held a funeral for him on November 29.

During his funeral, his commanding officer delivered a glowing eulogy: "You were determined to learn about the division and perform your role on the side as best as possible. I was privileged to be with you in your early days, always ready, always with the silence that characterized you, and always with professionalism."

This is a developing story.

Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak announced that the body of hostage Oren Goldin, a member of the Kibbutz's emergency standby squad who was killed and taken hostage on October 7, was recovered and returned to Israel by the IDF.

"Tonight, we were informed of the rescue operation of the late Oren Goldin, a member of the kibbutz's emergency squad, who fell on October 7."

The Kibbutz's statement spoke of Goldin's bravery in the early hours of October 7. 

The body of soldier and hostage Staff-Sergeant Tomer Achimas was recovered by the IDF and brought back to Israel, Elad Arazi, head of the Lehavim local council, announced on Thursday.

In a statement, Arazi said, "Tonight, we were informed that the body of the late Tomer Achimas was brought back to Israel."

"Tomer, our beloved friend, son of Lehavim, fell in a heroic battle in Kibbutz Nirim on October 7."

A top diplomatic emissary for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been exploring innovative proposals for a post-war Gaza Strip with the United States and the United Arab Emirates, according to an op-ed published by the Washington Post on Tuesday.

The story, labeled as an op-ed, reports that a  “reformed” Palestinian Authority in inviting "Arab and European countries provide forces under a 'stabilization mandate' in Gaza" was being discussed." An Emirati proposal also said that the PA could solicit military and intelligence support from a range of countries.

Another proposal by the Emiratis was that the PA would become a recognized governing authority and would be able to "invite international partners to support security and humanitarian aid in Gaza during a 'stabilization mandate' that might last up to a year," according to the report. 

Australia on Thursday imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Israeli settlers and a youth group it said had been involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The group was responsible for inciting and perpetrating violence against Palestinians, while the settlers had been involved in beatings, sexual assault and torture and in some cases, death, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

"We call on Israel to hold perpetrators of settler violence to account and to cease its ongoing settlement activity, which only inflames tensions and further undermines stability and prospects for a two-state solution," Wong said.

The IDF recovered the body of hostage Maya Goren, 56, in a military operation in Gaza on Wednesday.

Goren is from Kibbutz Nir Oz; the community issued a statement saying: "After over nine months, she was brought back home for burial. The family was updated about the operation in the last few hours.

"She will be buried next to her husband Avner Goren, who was murdered on October 7."

The families of the eight American citizens remaining hostage in Gaza said they were "profoundly disappointed" in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to announce the return of the hostages in his Congressional address. 

"He failed to present any new solutions or a new path forward," the families said in a statement. "Above all, he failed to commit to the hostage deal that is now on the table even though Israel’s senior defense and intelligence officials have called on him to do so."

The families once again called on Netanyahu to stop delaying a deal for domestic political gains. 

The families urged Netanyahu to "get the deal done and bring our loved ones home before it is too late."

The White House will host Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his delegation of senior officials for several hours tomorrow. They will meet with President Joe Biden individually and in a joint meeting with Biden, the American hostage families, and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Thursday's meeting will mark the first time the president and prime minister will see each other since Biden's trip to Israel just days after October 7, a senior administration official said on Wednesday. 

While the official said he's not going to put a time frame on the closing of the deal, the administration believes the deal is in the "closing stages" and that it's time to close the agreement.