After ongoing negotiations and mediation by Egypt, Israel confirmed last night (Tuesday to Wednesday) that, as part of the understanding that was reached, the Hamas terrorist organization will transfer the coffins of four fallen hostages to Egypt within the next day. Egypt will then pass them to the Red Cross, who will ensure their arrival in Israel. At the same time, Israel will release 400 terrorists who had been detained due to Hamas conduct – primarily the obscene ceremonies before each hostage release, particularly the last time, when two hostages were forced to witness others being freed while they remained in captivity.
Release Without Ceremony
According to the agreement reached, the transfer will take place without an official ceremony by Hamas, while Egypt oversees the process to ensure that both sides fulfill their commitments. The families of the hostages have also been informed of the details of the arrangement and were told that this is part of the first phase of the exchange deal.
Hamas has also officially confirmed that a solution has been found for the delay in the terrorist release process, and that the prisoners will be freed simultaneously with the transfer of the fallen hostages. Additionally, Palestinian women and minors included in the agreement will also be released. Palestinian media reported that Egypt will play a central role in overseeing the process to ensure its implementation according to the agreed terms.
U.S. Envoy Postpones Visit to the Region
Meanwhile, the visit of U.S. President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, planned to begin tomorrow, has been postponed by several days. According to American sources, the visit date was never finalized, and the statements he made to the media did not necessarily guarantee his arrival in Israel.
At a conference held last night in Washington, Witkoff stated that Israel is expected to send a delegation to Doha or Cairo in the coming days to advance the next phase of the deal. “We are seeing significant progress in the talks,” he noted, adding that the negotiations aim to secure the release of additional hostages. He further stated that if substantial progress is made, he may personally join the discussions on Sunday.
