An Israeli security delegation held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss efforts to recover the remains of the last Israeli captive from the Gaza Strip.
A statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the delegation, led by Gal Hirsch, Israel's coordinator for captives and missing persons, discussed "efforts and operational details" related to recovering the remains of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili from Gaza.
According to the statement, the delegation included officials from the military, the Shin Bet domestic security agency and the Mossad intelligence service, without naming them.
There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian authorities or the Palestinian group Hamas on the statement.
Since the start of the first phase of the ceasefire on Oct. 10, Hamas has handed over 20 living Israeli captives and the remains of 27 others. The remains of Gvili have yet to be recovered, with Hamas saying it is still searching for his body.
Israel has conditioned the start of negotiations for the second phase of the agreement on receiving Gvili's body. Hamas has said the process could take time due to the extensive destruction across Gaza, according to previous statements.
Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.
Israel has killed more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023, in a brutal assault that left the enclave in ruins.
