Eight of the hostages set to be released in the first phase of the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip have died, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer announced on Monday.
“The families have been informed of their loved ones’ situation,” Mencer stated during a press briefing. This means that out of the 26 hostages scheduled to return to their country in the agreement's first phase, only 18 are still alive.
The six-week first phase, which began on January 19—the day fighting ceased in the Palestinian territory—is intended to secure the release of 33 hostages in exchange for over 1,900 Palestinians detained by Israel. Seven female hostages have already returned home following the first two exchanges on January 19 and 25.
On Sunday night, Israel announced that it had received a long-demanded list from Hamas detailing the status of all hostages, whether alive or dead. “This list aligns with Israeli intelligence,” Mencer said, without disclosing the names of the deceased hostages.
With AFP
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