Media: Hamas prepares to release six more hostages

Hamas has announced that it will return the bodies of four hostages on February 20, including two of the youngest individuals it holds.

Khalil al-Hayya, a negotiator for the group, stated that the bodies would include those of the Bibas family—Shiri and her young children Kfir and Ariel, who were aged nine months and four years when they were abducted during the October 7, 2023 attack, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Hamas claims that the family members were killed in an Israeli bombing, although Israel has not confirmed this. The children's father, Yarden, was released by Hamas earlier this month. Additionally, al-Hayya confirmed that Hamas would release six living hostages on February 22, which is double the number originally planned. In return, Israel will free all women and minors arrested since October, and will permit rubble-clearing equipment into Gaza via the border with Egypt. Al-Hayya emphasized that the group had agreed to return the bodies of the four hostages, including those of the Bibas family, on February 20.

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that the Bibas family had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, but they did not provide any evidence to support this. The Israeli military has not confirmed these claims, stating only that they are deeply concerned for the hostages' well-being. An Israeli official told Reuters that any deceased hostages would be identified in Israel before their names are released. 

The Bibas family acknowledged the statement from Hamas in a public statement. “In the past few hours, we have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson's announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir on February 20 as part of the hostages' remains release phase," the statement said. "We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter. Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.”   Hamas has identified two of the six Israelis set to be released on February 22. These individuals, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, were captured in 2014 and 2015 after crossing into Gaza independently.

Both were reportedly suffering from mental health issues at the time, according to the Israeli government. As part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages, while Israel committed to releasing approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. Discussions for the second phase of the agreement—aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages and ending the war—were expected to begin earlier this month, though they have not started yet. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that these talks would begin "this week." 

He also emphasized that Israel would not tolerate the presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organization in Gaza, although Israel might extend the ceasefire if the negotiations prove fruitful.   "If we will see there is a constructive dialogue with a possible horizon of getting to an agreement (then) we will make this time-frame work longer," Saar said.  

A total of 73 hostages are currently being held in Gaza, including both Israeli soldiers and civilians, some of whom are deceased, as well as nationals from Thailand and Nepal. Hamas took approximately 251 hostages during its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people. In retaliation, Israel launched a 15-month military offensive that has claimed the lives of 47,460 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, and caused widespread destruction throughout the region.

By Naila Huseynova