Hamas was set to release six more hostages from Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This came after Israel confirmed that a body handed over earlier was that of Shiri Bibas, who had been abducted along with her husband and two sons during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Initially, the truce faced a serious threat when a body misidentified as Bibas was handed over on Thursday. However, on Friday, Hamas returned another body, which was confirmed by Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine to be hers.
Armed Hamas militants gathered in Rafah and Nuseirat to hand over six living hostages to the Red Cross, which would then transfer them to Israeli forces. These are the final hostages from the group of 33 set to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire that began on January 19.
The hostages include Eliya Cohen (27), Tal Shoham (40), Omer Shem Tov (22), and Omer Wenkert (23), who were abducted during the October 7 attack. Two other hostages, Hisham Al-Sayed (36) and Avera Mengistu (39), have been in Hamas custody for over a decade under unexplained circumstances.
In exchange, Israel plans to release 602 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ongoing agreement.
The Bibas family has become a symbol of Israel’s suffering. Intelligence reports and forensic analyses suggest that Bibas and her two sons, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas and four-year-old Ariel, were deliberately killed by their captors. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hamas, threatening consequences but choosing not to break the ceasefire deal.
Despite tensions, Hamas confirmed the names of the hostages to be released on Saturday, indicating that the deal was still intact. Meanwhile, both sides have discussed the possibility of a second phase involving the release of 60 more hostages and potential Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.
However, the future of Gaza remains uncertain, especially after controversy arose over a proposal by former U.S. President Donald Trump to clear the enclave of Palestinians and develop it as a U.S.-controlled resort area.
