Eight of the 33 prisoners, who were supposed to be released as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, appear to be dead. The families of the deceased have been informed, according to Israeli Government Spokesperson David Mencer, citing a list provided by the Hamas. The remaining 25 prisoners are still alive.
Earlier, seven female prisoners had been released. The Israeli Government had announced that a civilian, a soldier and another prisoner would be released on Thursday and that three more would be released on Saturday, as per the agreement.
As part of this agreement, Israel will allow the exit of individuals from the Gaza Strip to the northern region starting on Tuesday morning, according to the Israeli Government’s statement on Saturday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had emphasized that Israel would not tolerate any breach of the agreement and that the country would continue to work towards the return of all its prisoners, both the living and the deceased. The impact of the eight prisoners’ deaths on Israel’s future actions has not yet been made clear.