Twelve wounded in terror attack, Israel seeks to extend Gaza deal's phase one

Hamas has stated that the only way the remaining hostages will be freed is through a commitment to a ceasefire deal.

Israel has completed the initial identification process of the four slain hostages, and the IDF and Israel Police are en route to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, Israeli media announced Thursday morning.

The bodies of four slain hostages are in IDF custody, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed early Thursday morning.

شاهد الصليب الأحمر يغادر غزة بعد استلام 4 جثث اسرائيلية إلى معبر كرم ابو سالم pic.twitter.com/7rye5463E0

— حسن اصليح | Hassan (@hassaneslayeh) February 26, 2025

According to reports on Arab networks, the departure of prisoner buses from Ofer Prison has begun.

The bodies of four Israeli hostages were handed over to the Red Cross at the Kerem Shalom crossing, Palestinian and Egyptian media reported on Wednesday night. 

Israeli media sources reported that Red Cross vehicles were heading to the Kerem Shalom crossing for the handover, where forensic medicine teams and Israeli authorities are waiting. 

Israeli security forces were seen operating in Palestinian West Bank towns adjacent to the Ofer military prison ahead of the planned release of prisoners later on Wednesday night, Arab media reported.

This is a developing story.

Red Cross vehicles were en route to receive the remains of four Israeli hostages set to be returned from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Wednesday night, a security source told Israeli media.

There is a low chance that Egypt would accept Opposition Leader Yair Lapid's Gaza plan, and even if it did, there would be catastrophic consequences for it and Israel, Lt.-Col. (res.) Eli Dekel, a former intelligence officer and Egypt expert, told Maariv on Wednesday.

"From my knowledge as an intelligence researcher about Egypt's conduct since 1948, it is a country that systematically does not respect agreements and has violated every agreement in the past, trampling on the peace agreement since the day it was signed and tirelessly gnawing at it. Giving Egypt this treat of bringing a hostile population sixty kilometers closer sounds like national suicide."

"The plan says that Egypt will have debts of $75 billion written off, a gift that even America cannot give up," Dekel added. "It will bring the Egyptian guns closer to Tel Aviv. Egypt doesn't deserve [such a reward], while it has strengthened Hamas for many years. Israeli citizens ran to hide in red-alert shelters, and all this evil came from Hamas, which Egypt armed. I see no reason to pamper them with such gifts," he added.

As phase one of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal nears its calendar end on Saturday, only one thing is certain right now: there is no concrete certainty on what happens after the 42nd day of the deal. What will happen afterwards is anyone’s guess, as there are several options on the table. 

Sources estimate that, despite the lack of agreement and cohesion on the next steps, the ceasefire will continue, not collapse.

The reason for this minimal certainty is that Israel is keen on maximizing the opportunity to free more hostages under the terms of the current phase and so is willing to extend the ceasefire for a certain period – even though there is currently no such agreement for the release of more hostages.