Posted on 02/26/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Jerusalem, Israel - Feb. 26, 2025 - The Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Hamas will return four deceased hostages to Israel on Wednesday night.
"Pursuant to Israel's demands, agreement has been reached with the mediators: Four of our deceased hostages will be returned tonight in the framework of the first stage, in an agreed-upon procedure and without Hamas ceremonies," the Prime Minister's Office stated.
Hamas published the names of the deceased hostages who it intends to release: Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, Itzik Elgarat, and Shlomo Mantzur.
The families of the hostages who appear on the list were notified personally.
The family of Tsahi Idan wrote in a statement: "Our family received with great sorrow Hamas's announcement that our beloved Tsahi is not among the living and his body will be returned to Israel during the night. We all still wait for the long-awaited certainty, which we can only get after the arrival in Israel and the needed examinations by the state's authorities while maintaining the privacy of Tsahi and his family.
"Since Tsahi was abducted on his feet, we received several signs of life, and in the previous deal in November last year, Tsahi was alive and expected to be released. We are thankful for the great love and support that we receive from the citizens of Israel, the media, and the Nahal Oz community. During these difficult hours, we ask that you respect our privacy. We will update you later after receiving details from the State of Israel's authorized officials."
The police were instructed to prepare to receive the bodies of five foreign hostages together with the four deceased Israeli hostages. During the negotiations, Israel requested the release of the foreign hostages' bodies, but no agreement was reached.
Hamas will transfer the caskets to the Red Cross, and Israel will gradually release terrorists until the bodies are positively identified.
Israeli officials stressed that until there is final identification of the deceased hostages, the most significant group of terrorists will not be released.
Hamas announced that the European Hospital in Khan Yunis is preparing to accept hundreds of prisoners, whose release was delayed last week, tonight and they are expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip between 10:00 p.m. and midnight.
