Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages overnight in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel, marking the final exchange under the first phase of a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza.
The truce, in effect since Jan. 19, has largely held despite repeated setbacks. Its initial phase is set to expire this week, with uncertainty over the fate of remaining hostages and prospects for a second phase aimed at ending the war.
Hamas said Thursday it is willing to discuss the next stage of negotiations, reiterating that the release of any remaining hostages hinges on continued adherence to the ceasefire.
The latest exchange followed a delay after Israel refused to proceed with prisoner releases on Saturday when Hamas staged a public handover of six hostages. The event, which included displaying live captives and the remains of others before a crowd, drew international criticism, including from the United Nations.
This time, no public ceremony accompanied the transfer. Israeli officials confirmed receiving the bodies of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur, all of whom were abducted from their homes near Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Their remains were undergoing forensic identification, with families to be officially notified afterward.
A previous handover was delayed when Hamas initially provided the remains of an unidentified Palestinian woman instead of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas. The correct remains were delivered a day later, and the unidentified woman’s body was returned to a Gaza hospital, medical officials said.
According to Israeli authorities, around 30 hostages have been killed in Gaza, some by their captors and others in Israeli military operations.
Palestinian prisoners freed
The exchange saw the release of 580 Palestinian detainees. Among them were 445 men and 24 women and minors arrested in Gaza, along with 151 prisoners serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis, a Hamas official said.
A bus carrying some of the freed prisoners arrived in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, where crowds greeted them with cheers. Some released detainees were lifted onto shoulders, clad in green jackets and keffiyehs.
“Our sacrifices and imprisonment were not in vain,” said Bilal Yassin, 42, who said he had spent 20 years in Israeli detention. “We had confidence in the resistance.”
Nearly 100 other Palestinian prisoners were transferred to Egypt, where they will remain until another country accepts them, according to Hamas and Egyptian media reports. Ambulances transported freed detainees to a hospital in Khan Younis, where they underwent medical evaluations.
The first phase of the ceasefire included the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the withdrawal of some Israeli troops from positions in Gaza and increased humanitarian aid.
With the 42-day truce set to expire Saturday, it remains unclear whether an extension will be negotiated to secure the release of the 59 remaining hostages or whether talks on a second phase will begin.
