Israel – The Jerusalem Post, February 02, 2025
Israel confirmed last Monday that eight of the remaining hostages set for release in the first phase of the ceasefire deal are dead, thought they did not say who.
There are still 20 hostages set to be released under the framework of the first phase of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, after Omer Kalderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas were returned to Israeli territory on Saturday.
Since the ceasefire on January 19, a total of 18 hostages – 13 Israelis and five Thai nationals – have been released in phase one: Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Emily Damari, Daniella Gilboa, Romi Gonen, Naama Levy, Arbel Yehoud, Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon, Gadi Moshe Moses, Keith Siegal, Doron Steinbrecher, Seathao Bannawat, Thenna Pongsak, Rumnao Surasak, Sathian Suwannakham, and Sriaoun Watchara.
The five Thai nationals were not originally on the list of 33, but negotiators were able to secure their release later in the deliberation process.
The remaining 20 hostages are: Ohad Ben Ami, Ariel Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Eliya Cohen, Sagui Dekel Chen, Itzhak Elgarat, Yair Horn, Tsachi Idan, Or Levy, Oded Lifshitz, Shlomo Mantzur, Eli Sharabi, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Alexandre Sasha Troufanov, Omer Wenkert, and Ohad Yahalomi, who were all kidnapped on October 7, as well as Avraham (Avera) Mengisto and Hisham Al-Sayed, who were taken hostage in the 2014-2015 period.
