WORLD NEWS – Hamas announces that it will release 6 prisoners and 4 bodies

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

An official from Hamas has said that the militant group will free six Israeli hostages on Saturday and return the bodies of four others on Thursday. This announcement is a clear escalation of the ceasefire deal and comes shortly after Israel has allowed mobile homes and construction equipment into the Gaza Strip to hopefully begin restoring the Gaza strip. The six living hostages that are set to be freed on Saturday are the last that will be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who are being held in Israeli prisons. Israel and Palestine have yet to negotiate the second phase of the ceasefire. This phase would result in Hamas releasing dozens of more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. 

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya released a statement saying that the Bibas family would be handing over the four bodies referring to Shiri Bibas and the two younger sons Ariel and Kfir who embody the plight that many captives have felt. Israel has not confirmed their deaths and the prime minister of Israel has encouraged the public not to distribute photos or spread rumors.