Hamas has returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. This nighttime exchange marked the final hostage swap of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on January 19, has managed to hold, despite several setbacks. However, this first phase is set to end this week, with uncertainty looming over the next stage of the agreement aimed at ending the conflict. Hamas has stated that they have not yet received any proposals.
After days of deadlock, Egyptian mediators facilitated the return of the remaining four bodies of the hostages. The conditions for the exchange involved the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners, including those captured or detained by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.
Previously, Hamas held a public “display” ceremony when returning 6 hostages on Saturday, which sparked international criticism and led Israel to initially refuse to release prisoners.
At that time, Hamas showcased the living hostages to the public in Gaza, along with coffins containing bodies before proceeding with the exchange, drawing widespread criticism including from the United Nations.
The final hostage exchange did not involve such ceremonies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced early Thursday that Israel has received the coffins of the four hostages.
Hamas previously identified these four bodies as Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur, who were kidnapped in an attack on October 7, 2023, from the Kibbutz on the Gaza border.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the bodies are undergoing initial identification within Israel, and once confirmed, families of the hostages will be notified.
The exchange agreement was briefly stalled when Hamas initially returned the body of an unidentified woman instead of Shiri Bibas, which was rectified the following day.
According to Hamas sources, the Palestinian prisoners set for release include 445 men, 24 women, minors detained in Gaza, and 151 inmates serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis.
Live footage showed a bus carrying some released Palestinian prisoners departing from Ofer Prison in Israel, reaching the city of Ramallah in Palestine minutes later.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange for the release of 33 Israeli hostages. Additionally, Israeli forces have withdrawn from parts of Gaza and allowed more humanitarian aid to enter.
With the 42-day ceasefire set to expire on Saturday, it remains uncertain whether the agreement will be extended to release the remaining 59 hostages or move towards negotiating the next phase of the ceasefire plan.
(This article references relevant reports from Reuters)