Hamas informs Israel about death of eight hostages set for release
Illustrative photo: Israeli hostages held by Hamas have died (Getty Images)
Eight Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants have died. They were supposed to be released as part of the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, states the spokesperson for the Israeli government, David Mencer, according to The Times of Israel.
A total of 33 hostages are to be released as part of the first phase. Seven have already been freed.
According to Mencer, Hamas data indicates that 18 of the 26 hostages set to be released are alive, while eight are dead.
The Israeli government clarified that the next hostage releases are scheduled for January 30 and February 1, with three hostages being freed on each day.
Among the 33 hostages to be released are women, children, men over 50 years old, as well as sick and injured men. On Sunday, the IDF stated that it has "grave concerns" regarding Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir.
Hostage release
It was previously reported that Israel approved a ceasefire with Hamas militants.
After the agreement came into effect, Hamas began handing over hostages to the Red Cross. They were then transported to the IDF forces in Gaza.
For more details on why Hamas and Israel reached the agreement, see the RBC-Ukraine material.
