CAIRO/GAZA/JERUSALEM/LJUBLJANA - Israel has rejected a proposal for Hamas to join a technocratic government in Gaza, Egyptian sources told Xinhua on Tuesday.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the information was shared by Israel during a meeting in Jerusalem between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service.
The discussions focused on solidifying the Gaza ceasefire, allowing the deployment of an Egyptian-led international force, and permitting 1,000 Palestinian police officers to help secure the enclave once Hamas hands over control, the sources said.
The meeting also addressed the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and a mechanism for Hamas to disarm. The sources described the talks as "highly successful," producing several "breakthroughs" in ceasefire implementation.
Earlier, Netanyahu's office said the leaders had met with teams to discuss advancing the US-backed ceasefire plan, Israel-Egypt relations, and regional issues.
The rare meeting comes amid uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which took effect on Oct 10. Both sides have pledged to uphold the truce, though each has accused the other of violations.
Bodies of hostages
Gaza's health authorities said Tuesday that they received the bodies of 15 Palestinians from Israel via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), bringing the total received since the ceasefire to 165.
Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza's health authorities, said medical teams would conduct examinations and complete documentation before returning the bodies to their families.
He added that the authorities are relying on rudimentary methods to identify the bodies, some of which show signs of "abuse, beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding."
The Israeli army has not commented on this.
Meanwhile, Israel on Tuesday received the bodies of two unidentified Israeli hostages who had been held by Hamas in Gaza for two years, the Prime Minister's Office said.
The coffins were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza, which transferred them to the Israeli military and Shin Bet security agents inside the enclave. "From there, they will be transferred to Israel," the office said, adding that the bodies will then be taken to the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv.
"The effort to return our hostages continues ... and will not cease until the last hostage is returned," it added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the National Center of Forensic Medicine completed the identification of another deceased hostage whose body was handed over by Hamas on Monday night. The Israeli military identified him as Tal Haimi, commander of the rapid response team at Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, a community near Gaza that was attacked during the Hamas-led assault on Oct 7, 2023.
Vance in Israel
Also on Tuesday, US Vice-President JD Vance said that Hamas would be "obliterated" if it refuses to disarm, and that Israel will decide which foreign troops, if any, may be deployed in Gaza.
Speaking at a press conference in Kiryat Gat, just north of Gaza, Vance said Hamas fighters could be spared if the group cooperates. "If it doesn't cooperate … Hamas is going to be obliterated," he said.
Vance emphasized that the White House will not pressure Israel on the presence of foreign troops, calling it "a question for the Israelis to agree to." He added that Türkiye could play a significant role.
As mediators are working toward a possible second phase of the truce, the US official acknowledged the challenges ahead. "Can I say with 100 percent certainty that it's going to work? No … but you do difficult things by trying," he said.
He also addressed frustrations over the slow recovery of hostages and bodies. "Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are," he said, appealing for "a little bit of patience."
The truce has faced tests from mutual accusations of violations, but both Israel and Hamas have publicly reaffirmed their commitment.
Vance, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday, is expected to meet Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, were already in Israel ahead of Vance's visit.
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Netanyahu dismisses national security advisor
Netanyahu has dismissed National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Tuesday.
Gil Reich, deputy head of the National Security Council, will serve as acting chief, the statement said.
"Netanyahu thanks Tzachi Hanegbi for his service as head of the National Security Council over the past three years and wishes him success and good health," the statement added, without giving a reason for his dismissal.
Hanegbi confirmed his departure, saying in a statement: "Prime Minister Netanyahu informed me today of his intention to appoint a new head of the National Security Council. In light of this, my term ends today. I will, of course, be at my successor's disposal as needed."
Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported that Hanegbi was dismissed after he opposed Israeli airstrikes in Qatar targeting senior Hamas officials and a large-scale military operation to seize control of Gaza City, launched in August.
According to the report, Hanegbi also supported creating a national inquiry committee, led by a judge, to examine Netanyahu's government's failure to prevent and respond to the Hamas-led Oct 7, 2023, attack that killed about 1,200 people.
Independent Palestinian state
French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar on Tuesday expressed hope that the current Gaza peace deal will open the way to an independent Palestinian state, according to a statement from the Slovenian president's office.
The two leaders voiced support for implementing the Gaza peace agreement, saying it should mark "the first step toward lasting peace and political stability, leading to an independent Palestinian state as well as security and prosperity for all nations in the region." They also underscored the need to deploy peacekeeping forces and ensure humanitarian access and civilian safety in Gaza.
Slovenia recognized the Palestinian state in June 2024, followed by France in September 2025.
During his two-day visit to Slovenia, Macron also attended the MED9 summit of nine Mediterranean and Southern European Union member states in Portoroz. He later met with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, with the two sides signing an economic cooperation agreement. Macron said Europe should strengthen energy connectivity and boost competitiveness.