Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer announced on Monday during an online presser that among the 33 hostages slated for release in the upcoming weeks as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, eight have been confirmed deceased.
Israel claimed overnight that it had received details regarding the condition of these hostages from the Palestinian group. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the next round of hostage releases is scheduled for Thursday, with another set to follow on Saturday.
Of the 33 individuals, seven have already been freed. Meanwhile, a total of 87 out of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza. Among these are the remains of at least 34 individuals whose deaths have been verified by the IDF.