Israel has officially received the remains of four Israeli hostages through the Red Cross, with the bodies transferred to the IDF at Kerem Shalom, facilitated by Egyptian mediation.
Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for the release of four Israeli hostages' bodies and 602 Palestinian security prisoners, the Hamas and an Israeli official said late Tuesday, as reported by the Times of Israel.
In a significant move, Israel has announced that it is delaying the release of Palestinians until it is given assurances that the next of Israeli hostages to be released are done without subjecting them to any humiliating ceremonies.
Preparations are underway in Gaza for the release of six Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli prisons. The six hostages are the last to be freed alive during the first phase of the deal with Hamas
A convoy carrying the bodies of four Israeli hostages into Israeli territory as it makes its way to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv.
The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) said its forces under are prepared for the next step of releasing Hamas terrorists, as part of the hostage exchange deal in Gaza, by "strengthening the defense in the various sectors, conducting field surveys and preliminary warning calls."
Hamas informed Israel regarding the identity of three hostages slated to be released through Egyptian and Qatari mediators, having backed down from its threat on Thursday to delay the next release of captives.
The Israel Prison Service (IPS) stated that it is prepared operationally for the process of releasing the imprisoned terrorists in return for the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza, in accordance with the guidelines of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Israel Prisons Chief Commissioner
In another major development, Israel said that Gazans will not be able to return north amid a dispute over the release of a civilian Israel had expected to be freed Saturday. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement says it is holding 29-year-old Arbel Yehud.