by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israel received the bodies of four hostages, held by Hamas in Gaza for over 16 months, in a low-key, nighttime transfer on Wednesday, avoiding the dramatic displays seen in previous handovers.
The final phase of the ceasefire’s initial stage began late Wednesday when the Red Cross went to the Gaza Strip for the handover.
Early Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reported that the Red Cross received the coffins and transferred them to the Israel Defense Forces.
In return for the remains of four slain hostages, Israel agreed to free over 600 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving multiple life sentences for deadly terrorist attacks. This release, previously delayed by dissatisfaction in Jerusalem over Hamas’s handling of prior handovers, was part of a broader exchange deal.
The Israel Prisons Service announced that the release of Palestinian prisoners would proceed only after the bodies of the four hostages were confirmed to have arrived in Israel. Additionally, an Israeli source indicated that the bodies must be positively identified before finalizing the prisoner release, a process expected to take several hours.
Among the prisoners scheduled for release, 50 are serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. The list includes Nael Barghouti, the longest-held prisoner, incarcerated for 44 years for the murder of 27-year-old Israeli bus driver Mordechai Yekuel in 1978 near Ramallah. Also set to be released is Ammar Zaban, a key Hamas figure who led the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades during the Second Intifada.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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