Israeli forensic experts positively identified the bodies of Itzhak Elgarat, Tsachi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur, and Ohad Yahalomi. Tsachi, Itzhak, and Ohad were kidnapped alive from their homes in Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023 and endured Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Shlomo was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim and murdered on October 7. Hamas has been holding his body for ransom ever since. 59 Israeli hostages remain in captivity in Gaza.
After the transfer, buses carrying released Palestinian criminals and terrorists from Israeli prisons arrived in Gaza early Thursday. Israel had refused to release the terrorists on Saturday after the remains of Shiri Bibas's remains were not returned as agreed upon as part of the ceasefire and instead Hamas turned over the body of a random Palestinian woman along with the bodies of the Bibas boys, murdered by terrorists.
Video showed a bus carrying some of the terrorists arriving in Ramallah being cheered upon its arrival by hundreds of Palestinians. Released terrorist Bilal Yassin told Reuters, "Our sacrifices and imprisonment were not in vain. We had confidence in the (Palestinian) resistance."
According to the Jerusalem Post, almost 100 more terrorists were turned over to Egypt, where they will stay until another country accepts them.
In total, 580 terrorists will be freed. The first phase of the ceasefire included the exchange of 33 Israeli hostages in total for around 2,000 terrorists, an influx of aid, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from some positions in Gaza. The 42-day truce is set to expire on Saturday.
