Hamas returns four bodies as first phase of Gaza ceasefire deal reaches final swap

# Hamas returns four bodies as first phase of Gaza ceasefire deal reaches final swap

*Event date: 2025-02-27*

Hamas returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages to Israel on Thursday, while Israel released more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, bringing the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal to its final exchange.

The transfer marked the closing swap of the initial truce agreement that took effect on January 19. Under the terms described in the reporting, Hamas was to hand over 33 hostages, including eight dead bodies, by March 1, while Israel would release a total of 1,900 Palestinians. Thursday's exchange was also notable because five Thai nationals who had been taken hostage in the October 7, 2023 attack were returned separately.

The Red Cross received the bodies early on Thursday and brought them back to Israel for forensic testing. Netanyahu's office later confirmed the identities and said three of the four had been murdered in captivity, while one had been killed on the day of the attack.

The four men were named as French-Israeli national Ohad Yahalomi, Israeli national Tsachi Idan, Danish-Israeli Itzik Elgarat and Iraq-born Israeli Shlomo Mansour. Two of the four had been listed as alive until Wednesday, a reminder of how much uncertainty still surrounds the fate of many hostages.

A Hamas source said the released Palestinian prisoners included 445 men and 24 women and minors detained in Gaza, as well as 151 prisoners serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis. Israel had postponed the release over what it called Hamas violations before the exchange went ahead.

The larger issue remains unresolved. A second phase of the ceasefire has not yet been negotiated, and Hamas said it remained committed to the agreement. Netanyahu, meanwhile, instructed his negotiation team to head to Cairo to resume talks, underlining that the truce is still being managed rather than concluded.

The numbers point to the scale of the deal and the scale of the conflict. The conflict in Gaza began after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel's military campaign. More than 50 hostages are still believed to remain in Gaza, and about half are thought to be dead.

For families on both sides, Thursday's exchange closed one chapter but left the wider war in place. The first phase produced releases, confirmations and burials. The harder question now is whether the ceasefire can be extended into a political process, or whether the temporary deal will run out before any second phase is agreed.