Hamas hands the Red Cross 4 dead hostages from Gaza, while the Palestinians leave the Israeli prison

Khan Younis, Gaza Strip (AP) – The Hamas handed over four dead hostages in the Red Cross early Thursday in an exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, days before the first phase of The ceasefire Strip should end in the Gaza strip.

An Israeli security officer confirmed that Hamas handed over the corpses of the hostages to the Red Cross. Israel said that the boxes were delivered with the help of Egyptian mediators through an Israeli intersection and an identification process began.

At about the same time, a convoy of the Red Cross let off the offer of Israel with several dozen Palestinian prison. The lot of cheering families, friends and supporters gathered in the city of Beitunia and crowded to the bus when he arrived.

The congratulators welcomed the released prisoners, hugged them and took photos. A released man made a sign of victory when he was worn on the shoulders of the supporters, with the crowd “God is great”.

Hundreds of other prisoners should be sent to Gaza, many of whom were imprisoned after October 7, 2023, attacks and never charged.

Israel had Delayed the publication Of over 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday to protest, as the cruel treatment of hostages described during their handover by Hamas. The militant group referred to the delay as the “serious injury” of the ceasefire and said that the talks are not possible in a second phase if the Palestinians are freed.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Events with stages Before crowds. Together with the Red Cross and the UN officials, Israel called this Ceremonies that humble for the hostage.

One of those who were to leave Israel in early Thursday were hundreds of prisoners from Gaza, who were held for months without charges after Hamas '' on October 7, 2023. This includes 445 men, 21 teenagers and a woman who were all arrested after the Hamas attack, as shared by Palestinian officials who did not specify their age.

In this round, only around 50 Palestinians were released into the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Dozens of people who are sentenced to life for fatal attacks against Israelis are banished from the Palestinian areas that were brought to Egypt at least temporarily until other countries accept them.

The handover would complete the obligations of both sides in accordance with the first phase of the ceasefire, in which the Hamas 33 hostages, including eight corpses, returned in an exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The family of a hostage in Gaza said that she was informed that he was dead and that his body was among those to return to Israel. The family didn't say who informed them. Notifications typically come from the military of Israel.

Tsachi Idan was taken by Kibbutz Laach oz. His eldest daughter Maayaner was killed when militant shot through the door of the safe room. The Hamas militants broadcast themselves on Facebook and kept the family in their house as hostage when two younger children asked to let them go.

French President Emmanuel Macron published on X about the Israeli-French Geisel, Ohad Yahalomi, whose body should also be released: “In these hanging hours of pain and fear, the nation is by its side.”

A fragile ceasefire in danger

The six -week first phase of the ceasefire expires this weekend. Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's envoy in the Middle East, said that he wants the pages to be negotiated into the second phase in which all the remaining hostages of Hamas are released and an end to the war would be negotiated.

The talks about the second phase should begin in the first week of February.

The ceasefire, which was mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, finished 15 months of war that broke out on South Israel after the Hamas attack in 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed. About 250 people were taken hostage.

According to Palestinian health officers who do not distinguish between civil and combative deaths, but say that more than half of the dead are women and children, the Israeli military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians.

The fights too estimated 90% of the population of Gaza displaced And decimated the territory infrastructure and health system.

Israel buries mother, sons who were killed in captivity

On Wednesday, tens of thousands of Israelis lined motorways as a body of a mother and two young sons. killed in captivity in Gazawere taken to the funeral on Wednesday.

The bodies of Shiri Bibas and her sons, 9-month-old kfir and 4-year-old Ariel, were handed over at the beginning of this month.

According to Israel, forensic evidence shows that the children were killed by their kidnappers in November 2023, while Hamas says that the family was killed in an Israeli air raid together with their guards.

The husband and father Yardgen Bibas were kidnapped separately and lively released in a different handover. His wife and children were buried in a private ceremony near Kibbutz Nir Oz near Gaza, where they lived when they were kidnapped. They were buried in a common grave next to Shiri's parents who were killed in the attack.

Another child in the Gaza dies of hypothermia

With people in tent camps and damaged buildings in the Gaza in cool weather Seven in the past two weeks.

Dr. Munir al-Boursh, General Director of the Gaza Ministry of Health, said “Heavy cold wave” The Palestinian enclave hit that.

The temperatures were below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) and the last few days were particularly cold.

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Federman reported from Jerusalem. Magdy reported from Cairo.

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