Individuals line the road to observe the funeral procession carrying the caskets of Shiri Bibas, Kfir Bibas and Ariel Bibas with household in minibuses move by on Feb. 26, 2025 in Rishon LeZion, Israel.
Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Photos
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Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Photos
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel and Hamas militants say they’ve agreed on the return of 4 our bodies of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the discharge of a whole lot of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel, maintaining a fragile ceasefire alive.
Additionally Wednesday, a funeral procession was held for a younger Israeli household taken hostage within the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault. The our bodies of the three had been returned to Israel final week.
The discharge of the Palestinian prisoners and detainees has been delayed since Saturday when Israel accused Hamas of humiliating Israelis in hostage-release ceremonies that day. In return, Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal by failing to launch the Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
However after days of talks, an settlement was reached.
An Israeli authorities official with data of the settlement stated that “in accordance with Israel’s demands, an agreement has been reached with the mediators for the return of four fallen hostages as part of Phase A.” The official was not approved to talk on the file in regards to the settlement.
Hamas confirmed this in a press release.
“An agreement was reached to resolve the problem of delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be released in the last batch, so that they will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners who were agreed to be handed over during the first phase,” learn the assertion.
The alternate of hostages’ our bodies and Palestinians was set for later Wednesday.
On Wednesday, funerals had been held for 3 members of the Bibas household, whose our bodies had been returned final week. Shiri Bibas, 32, and her sons Ariel and Kfir, ages 4 and 9 months, had been taken hostage to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israelis had hoped they might be freed alive.
Hamas stated the Bibas mom and kids had been killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza greater than a month into the Israel-Hamas battle. Israel disputes that, saying the three had been killed by their captors. An Israeli forensic staff examined the stays however the forensic report has not been made public.
Crowds of Israelis lined the route of the funeral procession to pay their respects to the younger household, carrying flowers, banners, placards and flags. The household requested a non-public funeral.
Below the ceasefire deal, reached Jan. 19, 33 Israeli hostages lifeless and alive had been to be launched in alternate for round 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel. The primary section of the deal expires this weekend.
President Trump’s particular Center East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to return to the area within the coming days to hitch in negotiations over extending the ceasefire deal.
The deal introduced a pause in what had been 15 months of preventing between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza during which greater than 48,000 Palestinians had been killed, in line with Gaza well being authorities.
The battle was sparked by the Hamas-led assault on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, during which almost 1,200 Israelis had been killed and greater than 250 taken hostage.
Contributors embody Itay Stern in Tel Aviv, Israel, Yanal Jabarin in Jerusalem and Ahmed Abu Hamda in Cairo.
