Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said the “Bibas family” would be included in the handover of four bodies on Thursday, without elaborating.
Yarden Bibas, 34, his wife, Shiri, 33, and children Ariel, now aged 5, and Kfir, now 2, were seized from their home near Gaza during the Hamas-led 7 October attack on southern Israel in 2023 and taken hostage. Israel has said it is extremely concerned about the condition of Shiri and her two children but has not confirmed their deaths.
Yarden Bibas was released at the start of the month along with two other hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as part of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has said the militant group will release six living Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Three hostages had been expected to be freed on Saturday. It was not clear why Hamas changed the plan.
Of the 33 hostages set to be freed under phase one of the three-stage ceasefire deal, 19 have already been released and Israel says eight are dead. So the six to be released on Saturday are the final living hostages on the list of those to be released in the first phase of the deal.
Al Hayya said the six living hostages will include two Israelis, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have been held for over a decade, the Times of Israel is reporting.
Israeli officials have said they believe eight of the 33 people to be returned in the ceasefire’s first phase are dead. Hamas is gradually releasing the 33 hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails. Under the agreement, Israeli forces have pulled back from most parts of Gaza and allowed an increase in humanitarian aid.
The truce agreement appeared in danger of collapse earlier this month after Hamas announced there would be an indefinite delay to the release of (some of the) hostages owing to Israel’s violations of the deal.
The Palestinian militant group accused Israel of delaying the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, blocking the arrival of aid and attacking civilians. Soon after, US President Donald Trump suggested that Israel should demand that the remaining hostages be freed by midday on Saturday 15 February or “all hell is going to break out”.
The immediate crisis appeared to recede with Hamas subsequently confirming the three Israelis hostages would be freed, although a great deal of uncertainty remains over the longer-term prospects of the ceasefire agreement.