*Palestinian Factions to Hand Over Israeli Hostages' Remains as Part of Prisoner Exchange

 *Palestinian Factions to Hand Over Israeli Hostages' Remains as Part of Prisoner Exchange

In a significant development within the ongoing prisoner exchange between Palestinian factions and Israel, the spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, has announced the identities of the Israeli hostages whose remains will be handed over on Thursday, February 20, 2025.

According to Abu Ubaida’s statement on Telegram, the remains of the Bibas family and the body of Israeli captive Oded Lifshitz will be transferred as part of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" prisoner exchange agreement. He emphasized that all of these individuals were alive before Israeli airstrikes allegedly targeted their places of detention, leading to their deaths.

### #PrisonerExchange #Israel #Palestine #HostageCrisis

Earlier this week, Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, confirmed that Hamas intends to release six Israeli hostages along with four additional bodies on Thursday. In return, Tel Aviv is expected to release Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, February 22, 2025, as per the agreement.

Additionally, Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, stated that the remains of Oded Lifshitz, one of the hostages allegedly killed by Israeli airstrikes during the "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle, would be released as part of the seventh phase of the initial prisoner swap agreement.

### Diplomatic Efforts and Ceasefire Negotiations

Meanwhile, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have successfully facilitated negotiations between Israel, the United States, and Palestinian factions. Sources indicate that an agreement has been reached to ensure the release of all remaining hostages and detainees by Saturday.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed that, with the intervention of mediators, the Israeli military would receive the bodies of five hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The official identification of these remains is expected on the morning of the scheduled transfer.

### #Hamas #IsraelGaza #Ceasefire #PrisonerSwap

Last Saturday, Hamas released three hostages to the Red Cross in what marked the sixth exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. In return, Israel released its largest batch of Palestinian prisoners to date, comprising 36 individuals serving life sentences and 333 others detained in Gaza after October 7, 2024. Additionally, 24 of those serving life sentences were exiled from the Gaza Strip.

As part of the next phase of the deal, 33 more Israeli hostages are expected to be freed by early March in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.

The final stages of the agreement will include a complete cessation of hostilities and the reconstruction of Gaza, a project that the United Nations estimates will cost over $53 billion.

### #GazaReconstruction #HumanitarianCrisis #MiddleEas

tConflict #HostageRelease