Israel says war will 'last for months'; recovers body of hostage

"War will last for months"

Israel pressed its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday after telling key backer the United States that the war to crush Hamas will last "more than several months."

On Thursday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met in Tel Aviv with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

During their meeting, Gallant warned that Israel's fight with Hamas "will require a period of time - it will last more than several months, but we will win and we will destroy them."

The ministry added that dozens of people had been killed or injured in Israeli strikes on Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, while witnesses said several people had been killed in air strikes on Nuseirat in central Gaza.

Israel recovers body of hostage

The Israeli army said Friday it had recovered and returned to Israel the body of French-Israeli hostage Elya Toledano, who was kidnapped and taken to Gaza by militants during Hamas's October 7 attacks.

Toledano, 28, was among an estimated 240 people taken hostage during the Hamas attacks on Israel, which were the deadliest in the country's history.

He was attending a desert rave party called the Supernova festival along with friend and fellow French-Israeli Mia Shem, who was released under a truce agreement at the end of November.

A statement from the Israeli Defense Forces read: "During an operation in Gaza, the body of the hostage Elya Toledano (28) was recovered by IDF (Israel army) Special Forces and brought back to Israel."

UN agency warns of "breakdown of civil order"

This week, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly supported a non-binding resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Washington voting against it.

The United Nations estimates 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been displaced.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned Gaza risked a "breakdown of civil order." 

"Everywhere you go, people are desperate, hungry and are terrified," said Lazzarini, who recently returned from Gaza.

According to UN humanitarian agency OCHA's latest update on the situation in Gaza, more than a third of households in the territory have reported experiencing severe hunger, while more than 90 percent are "going to bed hungry."

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