Israel identifies bodies of 4 returned captives murdered by Hamas, releases 600 terrorists

Forensics examiners verified that the four bodies returned by Hamas belong to Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur, and Itzik Elgarat.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli forensics teams confirmed the identities of four slain hostages returned to Israel from the Gaza Strip overnight, bringing the total number of captives released during the six-week ceasefire to 33.

On Thursday morning, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that forensics examiners verified that the four bodies returned by Hamas via the Red Cross overnight belong to Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur, and Itzik Elgarat.

“Following the completion of the identification process by the IDF, the Health Ministry National Center of Forensic Medicine, and the Israel Police, IDF representatives have, overnight, informed the Yahalomi, Idan, Mantzur, and Elgarat families that their loved ones – Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur, and Itzik Elgarat, of blessed memory – were murdered and have been returned for burial in Israel,” the PMO said.

Unlike previous exchanges, including one that included a ghoulish ceremony featuring the public display of murdered captives’ coffins in front of cheering crowds of Gazans, Hamas quietly transferred the remains of what it says are four Israelis kidnapped on October 7th to the Red Cross in Gaza.

Previously, Israel had waited until all captives were back on Israeli soil before releasing prisoners but began freeing terrorists within minutes of the bodies being received by the Red Cross.

However, Israel is releasing the terrorists in waves of some 100 every few hours and will presumably halt the process if the bodies are not positively identified.

The release of the four slain captives’ bodies triggered Israel to advance the release of some 600 terrorists, who were originally slated to be released last Saturday. Israel indefinitely postponed their release after Hamas held a public ceremony that included forcing one of the kidnapped Israelis to kiss a terrorist on the forehead.

The body of a Gazan woman, whom Hamas claimed it accidentally sent to Israel in place of Shiri Bibas last Thursday, was returned to the Strip.

According to Hebrew-language media reports, 37 Palestinian prisoners were released to Ramallah in the early hours of Thursday morning. Videos circulating on social media showed raucous celebrations in the streets of the Palestinian Authority-administered city, as the freed prisoners were greeted with a hero’s welcome.

Five Palestinians convicted on terror charges were freed to eastern Jerusalem, including Hamza al-Kaluti. A Hamas member sentenced to life for planning deadly suicide bombings, he served 24 years in prison before being freed to his home in eastern Jerusalem’s Beit Hanina neighborhood.

Some 97 prisoners were deported to Egypt.