Challenges for next phase of Gaza peace after last hostage returned

With the remains of the last hostage returned to Israel from Gaza, the next phase of the US-brokered peace process begins. But it is fraught with challenges.

The hostage clock in Tel Aviv finally stops. After 843 days, 12 hours, five minutes and 59 seconds, the last Israeli hostage was returned from Gaza.

It took more than four months after October's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to find the remains of Ran Gvili.

His sister Shira said during a rally that they can now really stop the clock and move forward to breath normally and accept.

Palestinians in Gaza are hoping the return of the last hostage will see a breakthrough in the peace process.

Ali Abu Al-Eish, from Rafah, said it is important now to reopen the Rafah crossing into Egypt, especially for those who are in urgent need of medical treatment.

However, the next phases of the peace plan are likely to face a number of obstacles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the reopening of the Rafah crossing is limited for only a few people and is subject to intense screening by Israeli authorities.

Particularly for those entering, adding that he would not prevent people from leaving the strip.

A key issue is forcing Hamas to disarm, which the group says will only happen upon the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Netanyahu said the rehabilitation of the strip before Hamas disarms will not happen, and that the establishment of a Palestinian state will also not happen.

Meanwhile, the United Nation's children's fund, UNICEF, said restoring Gaza's shattered education system is "lifesaving" and an immediate priority.

"Before this war on children, Palestinians in Gaza had some of the highest literacy rates in the world," said spokesperson James Elder. "Education was a source of pride, resilience and progress for generations.

"Today, that legacy is very much under attack. Schools, universities and libraries have been destroyed and years of progress have been erased. This isn't just physical destruction, it is an assault on the future itself."