PMO: Hamas to release six living hostages on Saturday

Hamas named the Israelis to be freed as Tal Shoham, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert and Eliya Cohen, who were all kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. The terror group also said it would release Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who reportedly suffer from mental illness and entered the Strip on their volition a decade ago.

In addition, the bodies of four hostages murdered in Hamas captivity will be handed over on Thursday, in line with the ceasefire deal, which stipulates that the remains will be returned on the 33rd day of the truce.

“Pursuant to the agreement, four additional deceased hostages are due to be returned to Israel next week,” the PMO statement added.

A political source cited by Ynet earlier on Tuesday said that Jerusalem was making “great efforts to secure the release of all six remaining living hostages in the first phase, as well as four hostages who are no longer alive.”

In exchange for releasing the three additional living hostages, the Israeli government has reportedly signaled its willingness to allow the entry of hundreds of additional caravans for the reconstruction of the Strip.

The Israeli official told Ynet on Tuesday, “In the outline for the release of the hostages, Israel has committed to bringing caravans and mechanical engineering equipment into the Gaza Strip following strict inspection. As part of the negotiations, and subject to Hamas’s compliance with the deal, Israel will begin to allow this in a controlled and gradual manner.”

According to official estimates, 73 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza after 500-plus days, including 70 abducted during the Hamas-led cross-border terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. This figure includes the remains of at least 35 hostages, confirmed dead by Israeli authorities.

Hamas is reportedly scheduled to hand over the names of the first slain captives slated for release on Thursday morning. Military ambulances will collect the bodies at a Gaza meeting point, from where they will be brought for identification to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv.

Israeli officials involved in the preparations have said that the families will only be informed after the full identification process is completed.

In the current first phase of the truce, Hamas agreed to free 33 hostages, while Jerusalem agreed to commute the sentences of some 2,000 Arab terrorists, including many convicted of deadly attacks. So far, 24 hostages have been released in exchange for 1,135 prisoners.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Jerusalem decided to start talks on Phase 2 of the deal, which would see the remaining living hostages, both civilians and soldiers, released.

As part of the talks set to begin later this week, the Israeli government will demand the complete disarmament of Iranian-backed Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations in Gaza, the minister stressed.