Jerusalem — Early Thursday, Hamas transferred four deceased hostages to the Red Cross. In return, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. This exchange happened just before the first stage of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was set to conclude.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the body handover. Israeli President Isaac Herzog later noted that all four individuals had been identified.
Simultaneously, a convoy from the Red Cross left Israel’s Ofer prison, carrying dozens of released Palestinian prisoners. Families and supporters gathered in Beitunia, eagerly awaiting the bus and cheering as it passed.
Hamas expressed its readiness to discuss the next stage of the ceasefire, insisting that negotiations were essential for Israel to secure the release of any remaining hostages. They cautioned that any attempt to abandon the ceasefire could lead to further suffering for all involved.
Israel had postponed the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing concerns about the treatment of hostages during the handover. Hamas condemned this delay as a violation of the ceasefire agreement, stating that discussions on subsequent phases could not progress until those prisoners were released. A potential crisis loomed as the ceasefire’s initial six-week phase was set to expire that Saturday. However, an agreement to resolve the dispute was reportedly reached during talks in Cairo.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the bodies would be returned quietly, unlike previous releases that featured public ceremonies. These events had drawn criticism from Israel and humanitarian organizations for being demeaning to the hostages.
The released Palestinian detainees included individuals arrested in Gaza, many of whom were held on suspicions of militancy without charge. Among them were 445 men, 21 teenagers, and one woman, all detained after Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.
Notably, Nael Barghouti, 67, one of the longest-serving Palestinian prisoners, was among those freed. Barghouti had spent 45 years in Israeli prisons and was released in a previous exchange but was re-arrested in 2014. Under current terms, prisoners convicted of serious offenses must be exiled, and it remains uncertain where he may have been sent.
Only about 50 Palestinians were permitted to return to the occupied West Bank and eastern Jerusalem during this round of releases. Many others who faced harsh sentences for attacks against Israelis will be relocated outside Palestinian territories to Egypt until they can be transferred to other countries.
This handover fulfilled the commitments of both sides under the ceasefire’s initial phase. During this stage, Hamas released 33 hostages, including eight deceased individuals, in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu’s office indicated that the agreement was finalized and added that the four deceased hostages would be returned without a public ceremony. Previously, ceremonies for hostages had been highly publicized, drawing criticism for humiliating those involved. The latest agreement could also facilitate a visit from Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Middle East envoy, to continue discussions on the conflict.
According to Witkoff, talks for the next phase of the ceasefire are set to take place soon, potentially in Cairo or Doha. The discussions aim to secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas and negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict. These discussions, originally slated to begin weeks ago, had not yet commenced.
The ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, came after 15 months of intense fighting following Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of over 250 people.
In Gaza, Israel’s military actions have led to over 48,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to the local health ministry, displacing nearly 90% of the population and causing severe destruction to infrastructure and health services. The health ministry has noted that many of those killed are women and children, emphasizing the human toll of the conflict.
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War, Hostage Situation, Hamas, Israel, Palestinians, Gaza Strip, Middle East, Benjamin Netanyahu
