Hamas released four dead hostages to the Red Cross on Thursday, marking another step in the first phase of the cease-fire between the terrorist group and Israel.
The exchange, which took place in the Gaza Strip, was confirmed by an Israeli security official. Egyptian mediators assisted in the delivery of the caskets, which Israeli officials have begun to identify.
At the same time, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in a move that was previously delayed. Red Cross convoys assisted with the transport of the detainees.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office previously confirmed the exchange on Wednesday, noting that it was likely to take place without the humiliating ‘ceremonies’ that Hamas has engaged in prior.
On Saturday, Netanyahu temporarily delayed the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange in protest of Hamas’s release ceremonies, which were used to generate propaganda. In one ceremony, hostages were forced to pose with Hamas fighters and kiss militants on the head.
‘In light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies,’ Netanyahu’s statement said.
Hamas had called the delay a ‘serious violation,’ though the militant group’s treatment of prisoners was condemned by international groups, including the United Nations.
‘Under international law, any handover of the remains of [the] deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families,’ the United Nations Geneva said on X last week, attributing the quote to High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Israeli United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Hamas’ ‘ceremonies’ were ‘evil and depraved.’
‘For 16 months, Israel has been fighting a deranged terrorist organization that places no value on human life, especially if it is Israeli or Jewish — all while international institutions like the U.N. refrained from condemning Hamas and formally demanding the immediate return of our hostages,’ Danon said.
The Associated Press and Fox News’ Rachel Wolf and Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this report.