Bodies of 4 Israeli hostages identified, over 600 Palestinian prisoners freed

JERUSALEM: The bodies of four Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas have been identified, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Thursday on social media platform X.

Hamas handed over the four bodies to Israel overnight as Israel released hundreds of Palestinian detainees and prisoners from its jails.

Unlike previous transfers, the coffins were delivered to Israeli troops at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing in southern Gaza through Egyptian mediators, according to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

The swap, which handed over the remains of four Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, was the final such exchange the two sides agreed to in the first phase of the truce, which is set to end this weekend.

Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more prisoners and a lasting cease-fire, have not yet begun.

An Israeli group representing families of hostages held by Hamas said the remains of all four hostages returned early Thursday have been identified. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum identified them as Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat, Shlomo Mantzur and Tsachi Idan.

Mantzur, 85, was killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel, and his body was taken into Gaza. The other three were abducted alive, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths were not known.

Hamas said in a statement that the “only way” for Israel to secure the release of the remaining hostages was through negotiations and adhering to the agreement. It warned that any attempt to pull back from the truce “will only lead to more suffering” for the captives and their families.

Some of the released prisoners fell to their knees in gratitude after disembarking from buses in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis. In the West Bank town of Beitunia, dozens of prisoners were welcomed by crowds of relatives and well-wishers.

The released prisoners, some of whom had been serving life sentences over deadly attacks against Israelis, wore shirts issued by the Israeli prison service bearing a message in Arabic about pursuing one’s enemies. Some of the prisoners threw the shirts on the ground or set them on fire.

Israel delayed the release of the prisoners on Saturday over Hamas’ practice of parading hostages before crowds and cameras during their release. Israel, along with the Red Cross and United Nations officials, have called the ceremonies humiliating for the hostages.

Hamas released the four bodies to the Red Cross in Gaza overnight without a public ceremony.