Roundup: Israel receives hostage body; Türkiye issues warrant for Netanyahu

Israel on Friday received the body of an Israeli hostage from the Gaza Strip through the Red Cross, as global attention turned to the deepening humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the coffin, escorted by troops, was transferred to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification. "Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages," the IDF said.

Hamas said earlier that the body had been found in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, the group has returned the remains of 22 hostages, while the bodies of five Israelis and one Thai national are still being held.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said efforts were continuing to complete the handover despite "major challenges and complications."

Türkiye issues warrant for Netanyahu

In a separate move, Türkiye's Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 37 people, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of "genocide" and "crimes against humanity."

The prosecutor's office said in a statement that the warrants followed an investigation into what it called Israel's "systematic" attacks on civilians in Gaza, adding that the investigation began after complaints from victims and members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian aid mission intercepted by Israeli naval forces while trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar dismissed the warrants as a "PR stunt" by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Israel "firmly rejects" the move.

Erdogan has been one of Israel's strongest critics during its military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas' 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel, according to Israeli officials. Palestinian health authorities say more than 68,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, and much of the enclave has been reduced to rubble.

Türkiye is also serving as one of the guarantor countries for a Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month.

UN warns dire need of humanitarian assistance in Gaza

Meanwhile, the United Nations warned that despite some progress in aid delivery, Gaza remains in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said that 37,000 metric tons of aid – mostly food – had entered Gaza since the ceasefire, but added that access restrictions were slowing relief operations.

"Despite significant progress on the humanitarian scale-up, people's urgent needs are still immense, with impediments not being lifted quickly enough," Haq told reporters, citing UN humanitarian office OCHA. The UN said it has distributed food parcels to one million people in Gaza, but aims to reach 1.6 million.

The World Food Programme called for all crossing points to be opened, stressing that the ongoing restrictions risk worsening famine conditions. Currently, entry into Gaza is limited to two crossings, with no direct access to northern Gaza from Israel or to southern Gaza from Egypt.

Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire on October 10, after both sides agreed to a U.S.-brokered 20-point peace plan. On Friday, new details emerged on the United States' draft Security Council resolution aimed at bolstering President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, including greenlighting an international security force.

The draft resolution proposes a transitional governing body, the "Board of Peace," to administer Gaza until the end of 2027, and a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza to provide border security and oversee demilitarization of the enclave.

While the proposal has drawn tentative backing from some council members, diplomats noted concerns about the absence of oversight mechanisms and the unclear role of the Palestinian Authority.

(With input from agencies)