The caskets of the deceased hostages - Shlomo Mantzur, Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, and Ohad Yahalomi – have been transferred overnight (Wednesday to Thursday) from Hamas terrorists in the Khan Younis area of Gaza to representatives of the Red Cross, and from them to IDF representatives, members of the Military Rabbinate, and teams from the National Center of Forensic Medicine.
A brief ceremony, led by IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Karim, has taken place, similar to the one held last week.
Upon arrival in Israel, an initial identification process will be conducted at the Kerem Shalom crossing by forensic experts, assisted by military and police personnel. The remains will then be transferred to the National Center of Forensic Medicine for further examination to determine the cause of death. The Health Ministry has emphasized the importance of relying solely on official sources for information and avoiding the spread of rumors and misinformation.
Simultaneously with the return of the hostages, 604 imprisoned terrorists will be released as part of the hostage deal. The terrorists will be transferred from various prisons. Upon receiving approval from Israeli political leadership, the terrorists will be transported to points in the West Bank and at the Kerem Shalom crossing, under the escort of officers from the Israel Prison Service's Nachshon and Masada units.
According to the agreement with mediators and in line with Israel's demands, the transfer of the hostages will take place as part of the first phase of the agreed-upon process and without Hamas-led "ceremonies."
