**Hamas Hands Over Bodies of Four Israeli Hostages**
Hamas has agreed to transfer the bodies of four Israeli hostages who were taken during a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. The move comes after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the two sides.
The bodies are those of Oded Lifshitz, an 84-year-old veteran peace activist, and three members of the Bibas family – Shiri and her two sons, aged five and two. Kfir, the youngest child, was just nine months old when he was taken.
**Israel’s Reaction**
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the situation as “the heart of our nation being torn”. He also referred to Hamas as “monsters“.
The Israeli government has not confirmed the news that Shiri and her two sons are dead. They say they will only confirm the names of the deceased after forensic investigations.
**Previous Hostage Releases**
In recent weeks, Hamas released six hostages who were taken during the same attack. However, these releases were widely criticized for being degrading and humiliating.
The Red Cross has called for an honorable handover of any remaining hostages, saying that “any degrading treatment is unacceptable”.
**Background to the Ceasefire**
The ceasefire agreement was reached on January 19, after a massive campaign by Israel against Hamas. The conflict resulted in the deaths of at least 48,297 Palestinians, mainly civilians.
As part of the agreement, 33 hostages were released for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. However, the next phase of the agreement, which would see the remaining hostages released and the war permanently ended, has not yet started.