Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:14pm on 27 Jan 2025,Monday International
Israel said eight hostages, due to be freed in the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal, are dead. Hamas provided a list confirming their deaths, matching Israeli intelligence. Families have been informed. Since the ceasefire on 19 January, seven hostages have been released in exchange for over 290 Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for releasing the remaining 87 hostages, including three abducted before the war, continue. Israeli officials fear delays in freeing the remaining hostages, with some held in tunnels under Gaza for months. Talks for the next phase, including troop withdrawal and Gaza's reconstruction, start on 4 February.
