Hamas has released the remains of four Israeli hostages to Israel as part of a fragile cease-fire deal with the country. The release followed several days of negotiations after Israel refused to exchange Palestinian prisoners it had pledged to free.
The four deceased hostages were identified by Hamas as Shlomo Mansour, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Tsachi Idan. They were kidnapped during an attack on Israel in October 2023, which started the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
According to reports, Shlomo Mansour, a 85-year-old Israeli man, was killed in the initial attack along with his wife. His family had marked what would have been his birthday last March with a request for people to eat ice cream on his behalf and post a picture on social media.
Itzhak Elgarat, a 68-year-old dual Israeli and Danish citizen, was shot during the attack and reportedly told his brother that he was probably not alive at the time. His family has been advocating for a hostage deal, with his sister saying it is “incredibly painful” to know that captives are still in captivity.
Tsachi Idan, a 49-year-old Israeli man, had his oldest daughter shot and killed during the attack, while his wife managed to escape by hiding in a neighbor’s home. His family has expressed relief but also frustration, saying they need confirmation of his death before accepting it.
Ohad Yahalomi, a 49-year-old Israeli man, was shot during a gunfight with militants at his home and taken hostage along with his three children. The only child to survive the ordeal was released in November 2023.
The release of the four bodies came after Israel refused to free 620 Palestinian prisoners it had agreed to exchange for six Israeli hostages. Israel is now expected to free the Palestinian prisoners once the identities of the returned bodies are confirmed.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/world/middleeast/who-are-the-israeli-hostages-hamas.html