The remains of four hostages who have not yet been returned to Israel as part of the concluding segment of the initial phase of the agreement—Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur—are scheduled to be brought back to Israel overnight on Wednesday.
The process of repatriation is already in motion, with Red Cross ambulances setting out to collect the caskets containing the bodies of the four individuals.
Dr. Chen Kugel, the head of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, has arrived at the Kerem Shalom crossing to take possession of the remains upon their return.
Teams from the Forensic Institute, along with forensic specialists from the police force, are prepared to facilitate the preliminary identification process once the bodies reach the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Before this takes place, the Chief Rabbi of the IDF will conduct a memorial service for the deceased hostages as they are formally placed under military jurisdiction within the Gaza Strip.
Prior to the anticipated return, the family of Tsachi Idan issued a statement expressing their sorrow: “Our family received with great sorrow the announcement from Hamas that our beloved Tsachi is no longer among the living and that his body will be returned to Israel during the night. We are all still awaiting the longed-for certainty, which we can only obtain after his arrival in Israel and the completion of all necessary examinations by the authorized state authorities, while preserving the privacy of Tsachi and his family.”
“Since Tzachi was abducted while standing on his feet, we received several signs of life, and in the previous deal last November, Tsachi was alive and expected to be released. We are grateful for the immense love and support we have received from the citizens of Israel, the media, and the Nahal Oz community. In these difficult hours, we ask that our privacy be respected. We will provide updates later after receiving details from the authorized authorities of the State of Israel,” the family stated.
It is anticipated that the handover of the bodies will occur without any formal ceremony on Hamas’s part, with Egyptian intermediaries playing a role in the exchange. The caskets will be passed from Hamas representatives to the Red Cross, after which Israel will begin the gradual release of detained individuals, ensuring confirmation that the remains belong to those slated for return. Israeli officials have made it clear that until full verification of identity is achieved, the release of a larger group of security prisoners will not proceed.
This latest stage in the release of detainees represents the most substantial wave since the commencement of the first phase of the agreement. A total of 620 individuals held in Gaza are set to be freed as part of this stage. Initially, this release was set to occur last Saturday, but political leadership postponed it.
Following the completion of this stage, the total number of detainees freed since the initiation of Phase A will reach approximately 1,700.
{Matzav.com Israel}