Gaza City:
Authorities confirmed that Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages earlier on Thursday, and shortly after another group of released Palestinian prisoners returned to the occupied West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that they had received the coffin of “four fallen hostages” and that the process of formally identifying them had begun in Israel.
In Ramallah, AFP reporters saw a group of people, a group of more than 600 prisoners released by Israel, landing the bus from a cheerful crowd.
They were supposed to be released last weekend, but Israel was furious about Hamas’ elaborate rituals, pausing the process, which captured the dead, dead or alive hostages in the shock of October 7, 2023.
The bank threatens the first phase of a fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19.
Several released Palestinians hung in the air, some of whom were interviewed on the shoulders of friends and family.
A group of women cried as they gathered around a released prisoner, a tall child made peace signs with his hands.
Hamas said earlier that the return of the four Israeli bodies would be carried out on private bodies to prevent occupation from finding any excuses for delay or blockage”.
Israeli media identified them as Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgararat and Shlomo Mansour.
– “Negotiation will begin” –
The ceasefire largely stopped the war triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and saw 25 hostages so far in exchange for more than 1,100 prisoners.
However, sporadic violence occurred.
Israeli military said it carried out air strikes at several launch sites in Gaza after the projectile was fired on Wednesday, even though the ammunition fell within Palestinian territory.
In Washington, President Donald Trump’s top envoy in the Middle East said that Israeli representatives are holding talks in the next phase of the ceasefire.
Steve Witkoff told the American Jewish Commission’s activities.
“Either in Doha or in Cairo, where negotiations will start with the Egyptians and the Kataris.”
The first phase of the deal should end on Saturday, but the next phase of negotiations – which will begin in early February – have not yet begun.
– Minutes of Silence –
On Wednesday, thousands of people gathered in Israel for the funeral of Shiri Bibas and his son, who were killed in captivity in Gaza and have become a symbol of hostage suffering in the country.
The Israeli parliament remained silent to mourn their deaths, as well as other victims of the October 7 attack by Hamas.
“Yesterday, the funeral of ODED LIFSHITZ happened; today, the funerals of Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas are taking place. We remember all the victims on October 7. We remember, we will not forget,” Speaker Amir Ohana said.
Israel vowed to destroy Hamas after the attack, the deadliest man in the country’s history and made all hostages taken over that day the target of the Central War.
According to AFP, an official Israeli figure, the attack killed more than 1,215 people, most of whom were civilians.
According to Hamas-Operation Ministry of Health, Israel’s retaliation in Gaza killed more than 48,348 people, which he believes the United Nations believes is credible.
At the Bibas family funeral Wednesday, father Yarden Bibas, who was kidnapped and released on October 7, apologized to his late wife and son.
“Shiri, I’m sorry, I can’t protect all of you,” he said in his eulogy, his voice croaking.
(The story has not been edited by NDTV staff except the title and published from the joint feed.)
