Hamas is set to release the bodies of four hostages from Gaza on Thursday, according to Israeli security officials. Additionally, three living hostages are expected to be freed on Saturday as part of the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas.  

 

The names of the deceased hostages will be provided to the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday morning, and their families will be informed shortly after. Israeli authorities are also pushing for the release of all six remaining living hostages included in the first phase of the agreement, rather than just three. If successful, this would leave only four hostages—who are believed to be dead—remaining in Gaza under the original 33-person deal.  

 

So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been released, along with five Thai nationals. Officials have stated that eight of the 33 hostages due for release by March 2 are deceased, but their identities remain unconfirmed. Concerns are growing that Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2, may be among the dead.  

 

The Bibas family has become a symbol of the brutal October 7 Hamas terrorist attack. Despite the initial cease-fire agreement prioritizing the release of women, including those who served in the military, Shiri and her children were not among those freed. Recently, Hamas has only released male hostages, including Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas. He has since spoken about the psychological torment he endured at the hands of Hamas, who repeatedly used his family’s uncertain fate as a form of torture.  

 

Hamas also forced Yarden to appear in a propaganda video, in which he was coerced into claiming that his wife and children had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.  

 

Meanwhile, Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, stated that the Knesset is working on the second phase of the cease-fire deal with Hamas. This next phase aims to secure the release of the remaining hostages. If all 14 hostages are freed by the March 2 deadline, Hamas would still hold approximately 59 hostages in Gaza, with around 36 presumed dead, according to Israeli officials.  

 

Among those expected to be released in the second phase is Israeli-American Edan Alexander, a 20-year-old from Tenafly, New Jersey. Speaking to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Elkin emphasized the urgency of securing the hostages' freedom while balancing the broader implications for the ongoing conflict. “We all want to proceed to phase two and release the hostages, the question is under what conditions is the war ended,” he said.  

 

As negotiations continue, the fate of the remaining hostages remains uncertain, with growing international pressure on Hamas to release those still in captivity.

 

Based on a report by NYP  2025-02-19

 

 

Bibas family bodies are set to be returned, this is going to be a real sicko staged event by the terrorists. 

 

"Hamas executed a mother and her two children in cold blood. 

This is barbarism. Israel has every right to finish the job and eradicate these terrorists from the face of the earth."

 

https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1891863133301485982

 

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

Concerns are growing that Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2, may be among the dead.  

 

Disgusting.

 

Even more disgusting that like likes of Corbyn describes Hamas as friends and the BBC refers to them as freedom fighters.

 

They are a brutal terrorist organization and should be treated as such. 

45 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Disgusting.

 

Even more disgusting that like likes of Corbyn describes Hamas as friends and the BBC refers to them as freedom fighters.

 

They are a brutal terrorist organization and should be treated as such. 

 

We all remember Jeremy Corbyn.

A very nice man.

 

Hamas did not 'execute' the hostages, they murdered them.