Hamas releases bodies of last hostages included in first phase of ceasefire - as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are freed

Hamas has handed the bodies of the last four Israeli hostages that were included in the first phase of the ceasefire deal to the Red Cross.

The remains of the four men were exchanged for the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has previously identified the bodies as those of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi and Shlomo Mantzur - all four of whom were abducted from their kibbutz homes on 7 October 2023.

DNA testing is being carried out by Israeli authorities to confirm their identities.

A Red Cross convoy carrying dozens of released prisoners was also seen leaving Israel's Ofer prison in the West Bank before arriving in the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

The group got off the bus to cheers from hundreds congregating outside. Some of the released men—clad in green jackets and keffiyehs—were hoisted aloft by the crowd.

It was not immediately clear when the next detainees would be released.

Local media outlets and a Hamas source also said early on Thursday that 97 Palestinian prisoners were handed to Egypt by Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the country had received the four bodies.

It said in a statement: "The coffins were handed over to the IDF at the Kerem Shalom crossing through Egyptian mediation. An initial identification process has now begun on Israeli territory.

"The families of the abductees are being continuously updated on the situation and will be given an official notification at the end of the full identification process.

"The public is asked to respect the families' privacy and refrain from spreading rumours and information that is not official and well-founded. We will continue to update with reliable information in the future."

The handover would complete both sides' obligations under the Gaza ceasefire's first phase, during which Hamas agreed to return 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Early on Thursday, Hamas said it is ready to start talks on the next steps of the ceasefire agreement, but warned the only way it would release the remaining hostages would be through a commitment to the deal.

Hours before the four bodies were transferred on Wednesday, the family of Mr Idan said in a statement: "Our family has received with great sadness Hamas's announcement that our beloved Tsachi is no longer alive and that his body will be returned to Israel during the night."

It continued: "Since Tsachi was kidnapped, we received several signs of life, and in the previous deal last November, Tsachi was alive and expected to be released.

"We appreciate the tremendous love and support we are receiving from the citizens of Israel, the media, and the Nahal Oz community."

Egyptian mediators had earlier confirmed that they secured a breakthrough that would allow the handover of the final four hostage bodies due in the first phase of the deal after a days-long impasse.

Hamas said an agreement had been reached for the exchange of hostages for prisoners, but said their release would be conducted under a new mechanism.

It said the European Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza was preparing to receive prisoners after their release.

Israel had previously refused to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Saturday after accusing Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal by staging what it considered an offensive public handover of hostages in Gaza.

The staged ceremonies in which living hostages and coffins containing hostage remains were displayed on stage before a crowd in Gaza drew strong criticism, including from the United Nations.

Days earlier, the ceasefire deal which came into effect on 19 January was held up briefly when Hamas handed over the remains of an unidentified woman instead of mother-of-two Shiri Bibas before delivering the correct body the next day.

With the 42-day truce due to expire on Saturday, it also remains unclear whether an extension will be agreed or whether negotiations can begin on a second stage of the deal, which would see the release of the final 59 hostages left in Gaza.

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Despite numerous hiccups and no immediate proposals to progress it, the ceasefire deal has so far held up.

But moving to a second phase would require agreements on issues that have proved impossible to bridge in the past, including the post-war future of Gaza and Hamas, which Israel has vowed to eliminate as a governing force.

Underlining the precariousness of the ceasefire, the Israeli military said a projectile was fired from Gaza but fell within
the enclave. It said it was investigating the incident.

The hostage exchange came on the same day as the funeral for Ms Bibas and her two sons - four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir - who came to symbolise the trauma felt by many Israelis after the 7 October attack.

(c) Sky News 2025: Hamas releases bodies of last hostages included in first phase of ceasefire - as hundreds of Palestinian p