Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday evening to the parents of the last Israeli hostage whose remains are still in Gaza that the Palestinian governing committee, announced as part of the second phase, is merely a 'symbolic step' and not an indicator of progress, as described by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Earlier, the parents of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili had pressured Netanyahu not to proceed with the ceasefire before the return of their son's remains, according to an announcement yesterday by the Israeli forum for hostage and missing families. Al-Khaleej agency confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the US announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza moving to its second phase is largely a symbolic step.
