Israel confirms the death of 5 prisoners in Gaza and recovers the body of one of them

Middle East

The Israeli army announced Friday evening that it had confirmed the deaths of five prisoners held in the Gaza Strip and had informed their families, adding that Israel had recovered the body of one of them.

“In recent days, the Israeli army and police have informed the families of prisoners Eliyahu Margalit, Maya Goren, Ronen Engel and Aryeh Zalmanovich of their deaths,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

He added that, through a joint operation with the Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet), “we returned the body of prisoner Ofir Tsarvati for burial in Israel.”

The army said Tsarfati’s body had been “located in recent days” and that his family had been informed of his death on Wednesday.

Tsarfati was kidnapped during a Hamas attack on October 7, while attending a concert in southern Israel.

According to Hagari, Hamas still holds “136 prisoners, including 17 women and children.”

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced this week that “three detainees were killed” following an earlier Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip: Sherry Silverman Bibas, Kfir Bibas and Ariel Bibas.

Pictures of the Bibas family

The Bibas family is considered one of the most important prisoners held by Hamas during its attack, given the age of the newborn Kfir (10 months), his brother Ariel (4 years) and the mother Sheri, in addition to the father, Yarden, also he arrested.

Hagari indicated on Friday that “the Qassam Brigades’ announcement regarding the killing of the three prisoners has not yet been verified.” He stressed that “the Bibas family, the mother and two children, should have returned to Israel and Hamas chose not to do so” in the exchanges that took place during the days of the truce, adding: “The information published by Hamas has not been verified by us , so we will not face this problem.”

The Israeli army estimates the number of people detained and taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7 at around 240.

The truce allowed the release of 80 Israeli prisoners and 240 Palestinian prisoners. Foreigners, most of whom were Thais working in Israel, were also released outside the armistice agreement.

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