Hamas is set to release six more Israeli hostages from Gaza on Saturday, though the exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners is overshadowed by heightened tensions that threaten the fragile ceasefire, reports AP.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged retaliation after what he described as "a cruel and malicious breach" of the agreement, referring to the misidentification of a body released by Hamas.
Israeli forensic authorities confirmed that remains handed over overnight belonged to Shiri Bibas, a mother of two. Her body was released by militants on Friday after an earlier set of remains, initially believed to be hers, was later identified as an unknown Palestinian woman.
Three other bodies returned were confirmed as those of Bibas’ two sons and Oded Lifshitz, 83, all taken hostage during the 7 October 2023 attack, in which Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel, igniting the war.
Israeli authorities determined that the three hostages were killed by their captors, while Hamas claimed they died in Israeli airstrikes. The group’s military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said it would proceed with Saturday’s planned release of six Israeli hostages.
The body identification dispute has cast doubt over the ceasefire, which has temporarily halted the war but is nearing the end of its first phase. Negotiations for a second phase where Hamas would release more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal are expected to be even more challenging.
The six Israeli men set for release include Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23, who were abducted from a music festival. Tal Shoham, 40, taken from Kibbutz Beeri, is also among those to be freed.
Additionally, Avera Mengistu, 39, and Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, who entered Gaza voluntarily years ago, are scheduled for release.
In exchange, Israel will free more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, including 50 serving life sentences, 60 with long terms, and 47 who had previously been released under a past exchange. Another 445 prisoners from Gaza arrested since the war began will also be released.
Hamas has pledged to hand over four more bodies next week, marking the completion of the ceasefire’s first phase. This would leave the group holding approximately 60 hostages, about half of whom are believed to be alive.
Hamas insists it will not release the remaining captives without a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu, backed by the Trump administration, remains committed to dismantling Hamas while securing the hostages’ return—two objectives seen as conflicting.
The war has devastated Gaza, with over 48,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 fighters, though no evidence has been provided. The conflict has left much of Gaza in ruins, displacing millions.
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
