CAIRO, February 26. /TASS/. The Gaza-based Palestinian group Hamas has confirmed that it will hand over the bodies of four deceased hostages to the Israeli side, Abu Ubayda, spokesman for the group’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement.

According to him, the swap is expected to take place late on Wednesday. "Within the framework of the deal, we decided that in the evening, we will hand over to the other side the bodies of Ohad Yahalomi, Itzik Elgarat, Shlomo Mantzur and Tsahi Idan," the Hamas official wrote on his Telegram channel.

Tensions erupted again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of border settlements and seizing hostages. In response, Israel has initiated a military operation in the enclave in order to dismantle Hamas’ military and political structure and rescue all those kidnapped.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on January 15 that thanks to the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to implement a ceasefire in Gaza and release the hostages held in the enclave. The agreement, which includes three phases, entered into force on January 19. During the 42-day first phase of the deal, Hamas is to release 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody.

To date, Hamas has released 25 surviving hostages. Additionally, on February 20, Hamas handed over to the Red Cross the bodies of four other kidnapped Israelis, including three members of the Bibas family: infant Kfir, his 4-year-old brother Ariel, and their mother Shiri.

Earlier, Hamas said that the group had not received any proposals with regard to negotiations on the second phase of the deal. In turn, Arab mediators for the talks between the movement and the Jewish state told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the Gaza-based group is regrouping its forces in the embattled enclave, preparing for a new standoff with Israel.