Twenty hostages are still yet to be released after Omer Kalderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas were returned to Israeli territory on Saturday as part of the hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
So far, a total of 18 hostages – 13 Israeli citizens and five Thai nationals – have been released in phase one of the deal. They are: Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Romi Gonen, Daniella Gilboa, Emily Damari, Arbel Yehoud, Naama Levy, Gadi Moshe Mozes, Keith Siegal, Ofer Kalderon, Doron Steinbrecher, Yarden Bibas, Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak.
The five Thai nationals were not originally on the list of 33 hostages, but negotiators were able to secure their release later in the deliberation process.
The remaining 20 hostages to be released in the first phase are: Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Ben Ami, Ariel Bibas, Yarden Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Sagi Dekel Chen, Iair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexandre Sasha Troufanov, Ohad Yahalomi, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Oded Lifshitz, Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, Shlomo Mantzur, Tsachi Idan, Ofer Kalderon, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Hisham Al-Sayed and Eli Sharabi.
Hamas has stated that of these 20 that are expected to be released, eight are dead. Israel confirmed this last week without naming who they are.
“The list from Hamas matches Israel’s intelligence, so I can share with you that… eight have been killed by Hamas,” government spokesman David Mencer said. “The families have been informed of the situation of their relatives.”
The list disclosing the life status of the hostages still in captivity has not yet been released or confirmed by the Israeli government.
Family members of the hostages have urged the government to prioritize living hostages before those who are presumed dead.
“My brother is on the list of the 33 kidnapped people who are supposed to return. He is probably not alive. He is probably among the eight deceased hostages set to return in the deal,” Danny Elgarat, brother of hostage Itzik Elgarat, said on Tuesday. “Leave the bodies there; bring back living people. My brother is there as a fallen soldier, and I am saying on my behalf that I am willing to leave him there for now if it means bringing back someone alive.”
Avera Mengistu and Hisham Shaaban al-Sayed, two hostages who were taken years before October 7, are set to be released in the first phase of the deal, which will end in 27 days.
Phases two and three
Of the 59 hostages that were not included in the deal, 24 are believed to be alive. The remaining 35 have been confirmed as deceased.
The hostages set to be released in later phases are 11 Supernova music festival revelers, four soldiers, seven residents of the Gaza envelope, and two foreign workers.
Their release pends on phases two and three of the proposed ceasefire deal going into effect. The framework that both parties agreed upon in January would see all remaining living hostages released in phase two; the bodies of the rest would be returned to Israel in phase three.
The negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire deal begin this coming Monday in Doha. A Hamas source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that its mediators, along with those from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, would be present.
The source also said that Hamas reportedly told mediators it was ready to engage in the second phase.
However, Hamas Spokesman Jihad Taha told the outlet that Israel was creating obstacles in the negotiations through “evasion, procrastination, and obstruction of the implementation of what was agreed upon.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off for Washington to meet with senior US officials. On Tuesday, he will meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss phase two of the hostage deal, among other topics.
Read More: Who has yet to be released in the first phase of the hostage deal? – Israel News