Report: Hamas to release two slain hostages in next few hours, no confirmation from Israel

Hamas is set to release two slain hostages this evening (Monday) in exchange for the release of over 600 Palestinian terrorists, whose transfer was delayed in the last exchange on Saturday, according to Saudi media. This has not been confirmed by any Israeli source.

According to terrorist sources speaking to Saudi paper a-Sharq al-Awsat, "There is progress in the negotiations being conducted by the mediators - to resolve the crisis. There are contacts that may lead in the coming hours to the transfer of two kidnapped Israeli deceased bodies, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be released on Saturday."

The sources claimed that "negotiations are underway to complete the phase, where the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, which stood at 602, is expected to increase - in exchange for the two bodies that will be transferred today if the negotiations proceed properly."

According to them, the mediators are pressuring Hamas to transfer the two bodies, to expedite the night delivery and release of Palestinian prisoners. They noted that if the contacts fail today, the procedure could be carried out at any moment in the next two days.

The sources quoted in the newspaper confirmed that Hamas will hand over the two bodies without a ceremony - if an agreement is reached.

According to Kann reporter Roi Kais, efforts are ongoing over the impasse regarding the 620 Palestinian terrorists whose scheduled release last week was delayed due to the failure to procure Shiri Bibas at once and the "degrading" and "humiliating" ceremonies used to display the Bibas family and Oded Lifshitz.

These ceremonies included labels on their coffins showing their "date of arrest" in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, as though they were criminals instead of civilians who were forcibly taken hostage from their homes.

The prisoners were also detained due to the decision by Gazan terrorist groups, including Hamas, to send an anonymous Gazan woman to be buried rather than Shiri Bibas, a decision which led to an outcry in Israel and a halt to the hostage deal exchanges. The halt was only ended when the actual Shiri Bibas was delivered to Israel for identification and burial.

President Donald Trump's NSC Spokesperson Brian Hughes told i24 News yesterday (Sunday) that in light of Hamas' "barbaric" treatment of the hostages, including the parading of the Bibas family in black coffins in the streets of Gaza, Israel's decision to delay the release of the Palestinian terrorists is an "appropriate response."