Hamas releases six hostages as future of fragile ceasefire remains in doubt

Six Israeli hostages were released by Hamas on Saturday, amid renewed outrage across Israel after the bodies of two of the youngest hostages were returned earlier this week.

Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengisto were released Saturday in exchange for over 600 Palestinian prisoners. Both al-Sayed and Mengisto have been held captive since they entered the Gaza Strip a decade ago. 

The exchange is the final part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel. 

On Thursday, Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages, including Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and who they said was to be their mother, Shiri Bibas — Hours later forensic authorities confirmed the body was not her but an unknown Palestinian from Gaza.

Hamas later turned over another body which was confirmed as that of Shiri Bibas , Israel’s army radio reported early on Saturday, adding Bibas was likely slain in captivity with her children.

Ariel, 4, and Kfir, who was less than a year old, were killed by the “bare hands” of their captors in the first weeks of the war, the IDF said in findings based on forensic conclusions and intelligence. Previously, Hamas claimed that the children were killed by an Israeli airstrike in November 2023. 

The IDF’s announcement sent a new wave of outrage as the two young boys with their fiery red hair, and their mother, became a symbol for hostages' releaseafter Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 in Israel. 

It's unclear whether the recent tensions over the hostages release between Israel and Hamas will impact the next phase of the ceasefire agreement. 

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Hamas failing to return Shiri Bibas' body was a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement, vowing revenge.

Just one day before Saturday's hostage release, Israeli media reported that there were explosions on three empty buses in parking lots near Tel Aviv and that bombs had been discovered and disabled on two other buses, Reuters reported.

Further heightening tensions on Friday local time were the explosions on three empty buses in parking lots near Tel Aviv, and that bombs bad been discovered and disabled on two other buses, Reuters reported.

However, Hamas has said its "seriousness and full commitment to all our obligations" and had no interest in "non-compliance" related to the ceasefire agreement, according to a BBC report.