Hamas handed over the corpses of four Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip to Israel – this time there was a staging. The identity of the dead has now been determined. In return, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners were released again.
The terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip gave the corpses of four killed Israeli hostages to the Red Cross. The corpses have been handed over to Israel, as the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed.
In the meantime, the dead have been identified: On the basis of “the information and knowledge available to us”, Ohad Jahalomi, Tsachi Idan and Itzik Elgarat “were murdered in Gaza during their captivity,” said Netanyah's office. The fourth body that was returned at night was identified as Schlomo Mansur. Israel announced on February 11 that Mansur was killed in the attack on October 7, 2023 and his body was brought into the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli President Isaac Herzog had previously confirmed the identification of the dead: “It deeply hurts us to maintain the bitter news of the identification of Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgarat and Shlomo Mantzur, whose corpses were brought back overnight,” wrote Herzog on X.
In return, hundreds of Palestinians released
In return, Israel released Palestinian prisoners again: at the same time with the handover of the corpses, a convoy of the Red Cross left the Israeli military prison of Ofer with dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners. In the city of Beitunia, cheering relatives and supporters of the Palestinian prisoners gathered to take a look at the bus. As part of the agreement, more than 600 Palestinian prisoners are to be released from Israeli prisons – including dozens of detainees who were sentenced to life imprisonment for serious offenses.
A non -governmental organization that represents Palestinian prisoners confirmed the release of 596 prisoners, but said that a further 46 would still have to be released.
Free Palestinian prisoners are greeted cheerfully on arrival in the Gaza Strip.
The more than 600 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel should have been released on Saturday last week in exchange for six Israeli hostages. Israel's government initially exposed the dismissal from outrage and anger about the degrading Hamas ceremonies in previous handover of living and dead hostages. Hamas had called the delay a “serious injury” of the ceasefire agreement.
This time no staging when handing over
As required by the Israeli government, the handover of the corpses was not staged as a spectacle with armed Hamas fighters and loud music when handing over the coffins. According to the Netanyahu office, the Islamists had reached this in advance. His government had made this a prerequisite for the release of further Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
Talks about the second phase of the ceasefire?
Hamas handed over a total of 33 hostages – 25 alive and eight dead. Israel should release a total of 1,904 Palestinians in exchange for the 33 hostages during the first phase of ceasefire, which ends at the weekend. The other 59 Israelis in the Gaza Strip, of which only 27 are alive, are to return to Israel in a second phase of the ceasefire.
The Hamas meanwhile agreed to record talks about a second phase. The Palestinian organization said that she adheres to the agreement. The remaining hostages could only be released if the ceasefire is complied with. The first phase of the ceasefire came into force on January 19 and ends on Saturday. Around 60 hostages in Hamas' violence – how many are still alive is not known publicly.
