A man lights candles and places photos of four Israeli hostages outside the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv on February 27, 2025. Hamas has said it will return their remains to Israel. AP Photo
Israel has received four coffins believed to contain the bodies of hostages taken by Hamas. At the same time, Palestinian prisoners were released in Gaza and the West Bank as part of a fragile ceasefire deal.
This exchange is the final swap under the current 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas, which is set to expire soon unless extended. Both sides were expected to discuss a permanent end to the conflict, but it’s unclear if those talks have started.
Hamas’ military wing confirmed that the remains of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur had been handed over. All four were taken during the October 7, 2023, attack.
Unlike previous exchanges, this transfer was conducted privately. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said an agreement had been made for the bodies to be returned "without Hamas ceremonies."
Israel plans to release 642 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office. Among them are people held without charge, those serving long sentences, and even the longest-serving Palestinian political prisoner.
Saturday’s planned handover was initially delayed after Israel protested against Hamas’ “humiliating ceremonies” during earlier hostage releases. However, the exchange moved forward, with the Red Cross overseeing the process.
Bodies Identified in Israel
On Thursday, the Red Cross transferred the four coffins at the Kerem Shalom crossing. Israeli officials then began the identification process. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office assured families they would receive official confirmation once the process was completed.
Meanwhile, Red Cross buses arrived in Gaza, carrying hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed by Israel. Crowds gathered to welcome them outside the European Hospital in Khan Younis. Some wore light gray uniforms as they reunited with their families, while celebratory gunfire could be heard.
After crossing into southern Israel, the hostages' bodies were taken to the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv. Police released images of emergency vehicles traveling down a dark highway, with Israeli flags waving along the route. Communities from Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Sha’ar Hanegev gathered in anticipation.
Mantzur, the oldest hostage at 85, was confirmed dead earlier, but the deaths of the others had not been verified. Israel sent forensic experts to assist in confirming their identities. Officials previously stated that Palestinian prisoners would only be released once the hostages' bodies were identified.
A past mix-up during a similar exchange caused controversy when Hamas mistakenly handed over the body of a Gazan woman instead of an Israeli hostage. Hamas later corrected the mistake.
If the latest identification confirms all four hostages, Hamas and its allies still hold 59 captives. Israeli officials believe more than half of them are dead.
Celebrations in the West Bank
In Ramallah, crowds welcomed freed Palestinian prisoners. Emotional reunions took place as families embraced their loved ones. A released prisoner, Yaha Shrida, described the experience as being “dug out from our own graves.”
Among the 642 Palestinians set for release, nearly 500 will return to Gaza. Many were detained since the war began in October 2023 without being charged. The group includes 44 children and two women.
Palestinian advocates have repeatedly voiced concerns about delays in their release. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society reports that 69 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody since the October 7 attacks.
Among those released is Nael Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian political prisoner. First arrested in 1978, he was freed in a 2011 Israel-Hamas deal but re-arrested in 2014 for alleged ties to Hamas. Another released prisoner, Bilal Abu Ghanem, had been serving multiple life sentences for a 2015 attack in Jerusalem.
With tensions high and the ceasefire uncertain, both sides await the next steps in this ongoing conflict.
