Israel announced on Tuesday that it has received human remains from Palestinian militants, but it remains uncertain if these remains belong to one of the three hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. The remains were handed over to the Red Cross and will undergo forensic testing for identification, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

The remains were reportedly discovered by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza. This handover is part of a fragile ceasefire agreement that has been in place since October, despite ongoing accusations of violations from both sides. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas released 20 hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Additionally, the agreement included the return of the remains of 28 hostages in exchange for the remains of 360 Palestinian militants. So far, 25 bodies of hostages have been returned.

The remaining hostages are believed to include two Israelis and a man from Thailand. Hamas has stated that it has faced challenges in retrieving all remains due to rubble from Israel's extensive military operations in Gaza. Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the process and has threatened to resume military actions or restrict humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned promptly. Netanyahu's office has characterized the delays as a violation of the ceasefire.

In Gaza, the situation remains dire as families cope with the aftermath of heavy winter rains, which have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis for many of the 2 million displaced residents. Aid has been slow to arrive, and organizations have warned of shortages in essential supplies, including food and winter necessities. The United Nations has called on Israel to ease restrictions on aid.

Since the ceasefire began on October 10, the Gaza Health Ministry has reported that 69,775 Palestinians have died and 170,863 have been injured due to Israel's retaliatory strikes. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures but has indicated that women and children comprise a significant portion of the casualties.

Despite the ceasefire, violence has continued. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported that Israeli forces killed three individuals east of Khan Younis, bringing the total Palestinian fatalities to 345 since the ceasefire took effect. The ministry also noted that 14 other bodies were recovered from the rubble over the past 24 hours.

In a related development, Egyptian officials have been meeting with mediators to discuss the implementation of a U.S.-backed plan for post-war Gaza. This plan includes establishing a transitional governing authority and a multinational security force. Indonesia has expressed readiness to deploy troops as part of this international stabilization effort, pending an official order from its president.