Daijiworld Media Network- Gaza
Gaza, Feb 27: In a significant development under the fragile truce, Hamas has handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages, while Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return. The overnight exchange marks the final swap of the truce’s first phase, even as uncertainty looms over its next stage.
The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, has largely held despite challenges. However, its initial phase is set to conclude this week, with no clear indication of what follows. Hamas, on Thursday, expressed willingness to discuss the second phase, emphasizing that the release of remaining hostages’ hinges on continued adherence to the truce.
Following days of deadlock, Egyptian mediators secured the handover of the final four hostages’ remains in exchange for 620 Palestinian detainees—comprising those held in Gaza and Israeli prisons. The exchange faced previous hurdles when Israel refused to release prisoners after Hamas staged a public ceremony while handing over six hostages.
Unlike earlier instances, the final transfer was carried out without any such event. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the reception of the coffins early Thursday. The hostages were identified as Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur—abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack on their kibbutz homes near Gaza.
A forensic examination is set to determine the cause of death, while official identification is underway. Meanwhile, an earlier mix-up saw Hamas deliver the body of an unidentified Palestinian woman instead of hostage Shiri Bibas, rectified the following day. The unidentified remains were later sent back to a Gaza hospital.
Israeli authorities state that around 30 hostages have died in Gaza, either at the hands of their captors or amid Israeli military operations.
The prisoner release list included 445 men, 24 women and minors from Gaza, and 151 individuals serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, according to Hamas sources.
Live footage showed a bus carrying released prisoners departing from Israel’s Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, arriving in Ramallah to jubilant crowds. Some freed detainees, clad in green jackets and keffiyehs, were carried on supporters' shoulders.
Bilal Yassin, 42, who had been in Israeli detention for 20 years, described enduring “oppression and poor conditions” but expressed confidence in the Palestinian resistance.
Nearly 100 more Palestinian prisoners were transferred to Egypt, awaiting acceptance by another country. In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, freed detainees arrived at the European Hospital for medical evaluations.
In total, 580 prisoners and detainees are expected to be released into Gaza, with Red Cross-escorted buses arriving in the coming hours.
Under the first phase of the truce, 33 Israeli hostages were exchanged for approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees, alongside an Israeli troop withdrawal from some areas of Gaza and an increased flow of humanitarian aid.
With the 42-day truce set to expire on Saturday, questions remain over whether it will be extended, potentially leading to the release of 59 remaining hostages, or if negotiations for a second phase will commence.