Khan Yunis - February 20, 2025 Palestinian armed groups on Thursday handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources. Marking the first repatriation of deceased hostages under an ongoing ceasefire agreement, the handover occurred near Bani Suhaila cemetery during a military parade attended by members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian factions. It featured a large crowd of masked gunmen positioned around a platform where the coffins were placed. Hamas said in a press statement that the bodies belonged to Shiri Bibas, her two children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and an elderly man Oded Lifshitz, who were killed in the Gaza Strip during the conflict with Israel. The four were taken hostage during a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Many Palestinian prisoners who were released under the ceasefire deal weeks ago participated in the handover ceremony, along with dozens of Palestinians who gathered in the place designated for the handover. "I came from eastern Khan Yunis, one of the most affected places, to witness the prisoners' handover process. We hope that the deal will be completed and that they will hand over our prisoners on Saturday and that all the (Israeli) prisons will be empty," said Sonia Farhan, a Palestinian citizen. Apart from the handover of bodies of the four Israeli hostages, Hamas has also said that it would release six living Israeli hostages on Saturday in a step to push Israel to allow mobile homes and construction equipment into the Gaza Strip. The six hostages will be the final captives released during the first phase of the ceasefire, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Some analysts believe that Israel is attempting to extend the first phase of the ceasefire to recover more hostages before moving to the second stage, which is expected to be more complicated. "There is an attempt by the occupation to prolong the period of the first stage, to recover as many prisoners as possible, because there is no political dimension or political agreement in the first stage. The problems will be in the second stage, so Israel is trying to recover as many as possible, because the second stage will have political complications regarding the political resolutions and the permanent ceasefire," said Mohamed Musleh, a political analyst. The Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, came into effect on January 19. The first phase of the ceasefire deal began on January 19 with a 42-day truce that saw the withdrawal Israeli troops from Gaza and the release and exchange of hostages between both sides. SHOTLIST: Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - Feb 20, 2025 1. Various of armed personnel; vehicles of International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC); ICRC staffers; 2. Various of people at handover ceremony; 3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sonia Farhan, Palestinian citizen (partially overlaid with shot 4): "I came from eastern Khan Yunis, one of the most affected places, to witness the prisoners' handover process. We hope that the deal will be completed and that they will hand over our prisoners on Saturday and that all the (Israeli) prisons will be empty."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. People at handover ceremony; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 5. Various of armed personnel; 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed Musleh, political analyst: "There is an attempt by the occupation to prolong the period of the first stage, to recover as many prisoners as possible, because there is no political dimension or political agreement in the first stage. The problems will be in the second stage, so Israel is trying to recover as many as possible, because the second stage will have political complications regarding the political resolutions and the permanent ceasefire."; 7. Various of handover in progress. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]