Bodies of four Israeli hostages were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross early Thursday, while hundreds of Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli custody in a tense exchange.
The swap comes just days before the first phase of the fragile ceasefire in Gaza is set to expire.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office confirmed that “Israel has received the coffins of four fallen hostages through the Red Cross.”
Israel further stated that the identification process has begun on the bodies of 4 hostages.
At the same time, a convoy carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners left Israel’s Ofer prison. In Beitunia, crowds of cheering families and supporters gathered to catch a glimpse of the bus carrying their loved ones home.
Disputes over ceasefire terms
Israel had delayed the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday, citing concerns over Hamas’ handling of the hostages. The militant group accused Israel of a “serious violation” of the ceasefire and warned that negotiations for a second phase would not continue until all Palestinian detainees were freed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the return of the hostages’ bodies would be carried out discreetly, unlike previous Hamas handovers that were staged as public events. The office also said that Israel received coffins of ‘four fallen hostages’
Israel, the Red Cross, and UN officials have criticised such displays as degrading for the hostages and their families.
Among those released from Israeli custody were 445 men, 21 teenagers, and one woman, all of whom had been detained after Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. They had been held without charge on suspicion of militant activity. Palestinian officials stated that only around 50 prisoners were sent to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Others, including dozens sentenced to life over deadly attacks on Israelis, were taken to Egypt, at least temporarily, before being transferred to other countries.
This handover completes both sides’ obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire, during which Hamas returned 33 hostages—including eight bodies—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Ceasefire in peril
The six-week ceasefire, brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, is set to expire this weekend. US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has urged both sides to move forward with negotiations for a second phase, which would involve the release of all remaining hostages and discussions on ending the war. Talks on this phase were originally scheduled to begin in early February.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens. With displaced families struggling in makeshift shelters, another infant died of hypothermia on Wednesday, bringing the toll to seven in two weeks. More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In addition, more than 90& of the Gaza population have been displaced, with most returning to the rubble of towns battered by the IDF.
Families mourn as Israel buries hostages
Among the hostages confirmed dead was Tsachi Idan, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz. His family was informed of his death but did not disclose who notified them. Such notifications typically come from Israel’s military.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the expected return of Israeli-French hostage Ohad Yahalomi’s body, stating on X: “In these suspended hours of pain and anguish, the nation stands by their side.”
Earlier this week, tens of thousands of Israelis lined highways as the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, 9-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel, were taken for burial. Israel says forensic evidence confirms they were killed by their captors in November 2023, while Hamas claims they died in an Israeli airstrike. Their father, Yarden Bibas, was abducted separately and later released alive.