Hamas handed over the bodies of four dead hostages to Israel.
This was reported by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The coffins with the dead were handed over to the Red Cross, and then to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
The IDF sappers checked the coffins to make sure they were not rigged with explosives. The IDF officials will also check to see if Hamas returned the hostagesʼ personal belongings along with the bodies.
The Times of Israel writes that these are the bodies of 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, 32-year-old hostage Shiri Bibas, and her two children — four-year-old Ariel and nine-month-old Kfir.
Health Minister Uriel Boussaud says the bodies will be carefully identified, so it could take some time. They want to find out not only the hostagesʼ identities, but also the cause of their death, if possible.
Earlier, Israel reported that eight hostages who were to be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas had died.
Israelʼs war in the Gaza Strip
Active hostilities between Israel and Hamas have continued since October 7, 2023, when militants of the Islamist group launched a massive rocket attack on southern and central Israel, invaded the countryʼs territory, killed hundreds of civilians, and took hostages.
On the evening of January 15, 2025, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. This could ease tensions in the Middle East, where conflicts continue in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
Media reports say that in the first phase, the IDF will withdraw to within 700 meters of the Gaza Strip. Israel will release approximately 2 000 Palestinians, and Hamas will release 33 Israeli prisoners.
Six hostage exchanges have already taken place. And on February 9, Israel began withdrawing troops from a key corridor in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has postponed the next hostage exchange with Israel, which was scheduled for Saturday, February 15. The spokesman claims that Israel has allegedly failed to fulfill its obligations under the current ceasefire agreement and that its army is preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the Gaza Strip.
On February 18, it was reported that Israel would begin negotiations this week on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel will not accept any scenario in which Gazaʼs terrorist groups retain weapons.
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