A man walks past a billboard bearing the portraits of Israeli hostages, held in the Gaza Strip. AFP
i24NEWS stated that "the number of bodies has not yet been determined." Still, the Israeli army is preparing for "up to eight bodies, the maximum number remaining for Hamas to release in Phase One of the ceasefire deal."
"However, there may be two rounds of four abductees each, or five and three," i24NEWS added.
The Israeli war on Gaza erupted on 7 October 2023, killing at least 48,219 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to figures the UN considers reliable.
Hamas took 251 captives, of whom 73 remain in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli army says are dead.
This report comes two days after Hamas freed three Israeli captives in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners — the sixth such swap under the ceasefire deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
Since the truce began last month, 19 Israeli captives have been released in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas and Israel are implementing the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, which nearly collapsed last week.
Negotiations on a second phase of the truce, aimed at securing a more lasting end to the Israeli war on Gaza, could begin this week in Doha, according to a Hamas official and another source familiar with the talks.
Short link: