Hamas to hand over bodies of four Israeli hostages on October 13

On October 13, Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said it would hand over the bodies of four Israeli captives killed in its custody.

The group identified the deceased as Guy Iluz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi and Daniel Perez, saying their remains would be transferred later in the day, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The announcement comes after Hamas released the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages from Gaza under a ceasefire agreement, but continues to hold the bodies of several others who died in captivity.

In a joint statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) said the International Committee of the Red Cross was en route to a meeting point in southern Gaza to take custody of several coffins containing the deceased captives.

“The IDF is prepared to receive additional coffins of deceased hostages expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later today,” the statement said, urging the public to act with sensitivity and await official identification, which would first be communicated to the hostages’ families.

Israel and Hamas have been implementing a phased truce and prisoner exchange deal brokered by mediators to end months of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

By Aghakazim Guliyev