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3mo ago

Hamas Returns Bodies of Four Israeli Hostages as Part of Ceasefire Agreement

The exchange marks the conclusion of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, with Israel also set to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners.

People walk around a makeshift memorial in front of portraits of late Israeli hostages Shiri (L), Ariel (CL), and Kfir (CR) Bibas, as well as Oded Lifshitz (R) at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on February 25, 2025, a day ahead of the Bibas family funeral.
Palestinians walk among the rubble of destroyed buildings in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on February 24, 2025.
A Hamas militant stands next to coffins as they are handed to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Gaza, on February 20.
Mourners react as the convoy carrying the coffins of slain hostages Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, passes by during their funeral procession in Rishon Lezion, Israel, Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The mother and her two children were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and their remains were returned from Gaza to Israel last week as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Overview

  • Hamas has confirmed it will return the bodies of four Israeli hostages, concluding the first phase of the ceasefire deal brokered on January 19, 2025.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated the bodies will be handed over without public ceremonies, following criticism of previous displays by Hamas.
  • The exchange includes the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners by Israel, as part of the negotiated agreement.
  • The Bibas family, whose tragic story became emblematic of the October 7, 2023, attacks, was laid to rest in a widely attended funeral earlier this week.
  • Discussions for a potential second phase of the ceasefire agreement have not yet commenced, as both sides navigate the aftermath of the 16-month conflict.