Hamas plans to hand over the bodies of four other kidnapped people to Israel ahead of the upcoming hostage release this weekend. Among them are Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Khalil al-Haja, a senior official in the Islamic terrorist organization said.
They are scheduled to surrender on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed the agreement with Hamas, A2 reports.
Jarden Bibas, father of two sons Ariel and Kfir, has been released as part of the recent ceasefire. According to Hamas, his wife Schiri and their two children were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not yet confirmed the deaths of the three, but said it was deeply concerned for their well-being.
Hamas official al-Haja also announced that Hamas would release six hostages on Saturday instead of the three previously planned: “Next Saturday, February 22, the remaining surviving hostages of the occupation agreed to their release in the first phase, and their number is six, including hostages Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu. We confirm that the movement and the resistance are ready to immediately engage in negotiations for the second phase (of the ceasefire agreement) which is the complete ceasefire and to achieve lasting calm and the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip and to achieve the second phase of the hostage exchange agreement immediately, and we are ready to agree on everything at once.”
Since the ceasefire in the Gaza war began on January 19, the Islamists have released 19 hostages in several rounds. In addition, five Thai citizens kidnapped by Israel were released despite the agreement.
The multi-stage agreement between Israel and Hamas envisages a first six-week phase in which a total of 33 hostages will be gradually released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners. Of these, 14 hostages, including eight who died, are still in Hamas hands. (A2 Televizion)
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