Israel Receives Four Hostage Bodies From Hamas, Hundreds Of Palestinian Prisoners To Be Released

JAKARTA - Israeli authorities have received the bodies of four hostages killed from the militant group Hamas and will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday, as part of a gradual ceasefire between the two sides.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) confirmed that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had received a coffin from the Red Cross which Hamas said was an Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip.

The bodies were handed over at the Kerem Silom Crossing with "Egyptian mediation," PMO said, quoted from The Times of Israel February 27.

Israeli authorities are currently carrying out forensic investigations into the four bodies. This is part of the requirement before the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Hamas had previously identified the bodies as Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur, all of whom were kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attack from their kibbutz home near Gaza.

The official announcement of the names of the bodies will be published by PMO only after the bodies are properly identified.

The fourth family of hostages continues to be updated and will receive an official notification once identification is made.

It is known that Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire and the release of three-stage hostages on January 19, after months of mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.

Last Thursday, Hamas released the bodies of Oded Lifshitz, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, and an unknown Gaza woman placed in a coffin with a photo of Shiri Bibas.

After Israel protested, Hamas on Saturday returned the body of Shiri Bibas. Previously, Yarden Bibas himself had been released alive on February 1.

On Saturday, Hamas released six Israeli hostages in stages. However, Israel postponed the release of hundreds of Israeli prisoners according to the agreement, due to objections to the 'seremony' carried out by Hamas while repatriating the bodies of the hostages and the surviving hostages.

After days of stalemate, Egyptian mediators secured the handover of the bodies of the last four hostages in the first phase of the deal, for 620 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces in Gaza or imprisoned in Israel.

The handover of hostages last night was unlike last week, where no ceremony was carried out by the Palestinian militant group.

About 30 hostages have been killed in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. Some of them were killed by their kidnappers and others killed by Israeli attacks.

On the other hand, Palestinian prisoners to be released include 445 men and 24 women and minors arrested in Gaza, as well as 151 prisoners serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis, Hamas sources said.

A bus carrying several released Palestinian prisoners left Israel's Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank and arrived in Ramallah City minutes later, as shown in live footage.

The first phase of the ceasefire included a total exchange of 33 Israeli hostages with about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from several positions in Gaza as well as the entry of aid.