Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer announced on Monday that eight of the hostages expected to be released in the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas have died.
This means that out of the 26 hostages still awaiting release under the first phase of the deal, only 18 are alive.
“The families have been informed of the situation of their relatives,” Mencer told reporters without providing the names of the deceased.
The ceasefire agreement, which was revealed earlier in January following months of unsuccessful talks, started on January 19, ending over 15 months of conflict triggered by Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.
As part of the first phase of the agreement, 33 hostages held by resistance fighters in Gaza are set to be released in return for over 1,900 Palestinians detained by Israel.
Since the ceasefire began, seven Israeli women have been freed, along with 290 Palestinians held by Israeli authorities.
