Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners on Thursday, following the return of four hostages’ bodies by Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel had received the remains of “four fallen hostages,” with identification procedures underway.
In Gaza and the occupied West Bank, AFP journalists reported the arrival of released Palestinian prisoners on buses, escorted by Red Cross vehicles. More than 600 prisoners had been scheduled for release, though the process was delayed after Israel objected to Hamas’s elaborate ceremonies during previous hostage returns.
Egypt’s Al-Qahera News reported that 97 of the freed prisoners crossed into Egypt via the Rafah border. The exchange was part of a ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19 and is set to expire on Saturday.
Hamas insisted that Israel must now move forward with negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire, stating, “We have cut off the path before the enemy’s false justifications, and it has no choice but to start negotiations for the second phase.”
Among the released prisoners in Ramallah, some were carried on the shoulders of their relatives while others gave media interviews. Emotional reunions took place as families embraced their loved ones.
Earlier, Hamas had indicated that the return of the four Israeli hostages’ bodies would be conducted privately to prevent any delays or obstructions by Israel. The returned hostages were later identified as Itzik Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, and Shlomo Mansour.
Ceasefire and Continued Negotiations
The ceasefire, which has largely halted fighting since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has so far resulted in the release of 25 hostages in exchange for over 1,100 Palestinian prisoners. However, occasional violence has persisted, with Israel carrying out airstrikes in Gaza following a failed projectile launch from the territory on Wednesday.
US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that Israeli representatives were traveling to Doha or Cairo for further ceasefire negotiations involving Egyptian and Qatari mediators. “We’re making a lot of progress. Israel is sending a team right now as we speak,” he stated.
National Mourning in Israel
On Wednesday, thousands of Israelis attended the funeral of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, who were killed while in Hamas captivity and had become symbols of the hostage crisis. The Israeli parliament observed a minute of silence to honor them and other victims of the October 7 attack.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana remarked, “We remember all the victims of October 7. We remember, and we will not forget.”
Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas following the attack, which resulted in over 1,215 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians, according to official figures. In response, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have killed more than 48,348 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures credible.
During the Bibas family’s funeral, father Yarden Bibas, who had been separately abducted on October 7 and later released in an earlier prisoner exchange, delivered a tearful eulogy. “Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all,” he said.
