The bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young sons, are being released by Hamas in Gaza, marking a devastating turn of events in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. The handover is the first return of dead Israelis under the current six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The remains of mother Shiri Bibas and her two sons Ariel and Kfir, who were aged four and nine months at the time of their abduction, will be among those returned to Israel. Hamas said the trio were killed as Israel launched its bombardment of Gaza in November 2023, a month after they were taken from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The fourth hostage to be returned will be great-grandfather Oded Lifschitz, a retired journalist also abducted from Nir Oz. The International Red Cross will be responsible for taking custody of the bodies in Gaza and transporting them to Israel. Israeli media is reporting that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will conduct a military ceremony in memory of the dead hostages as their remains are handed over by the Red Cross. The bodies will then be taken to the National Forensics Institute in Tel Aviv, where they will be formally identified and investigations into how the Israelis died will be conducted. The ceasefire is due to lapse on March 2, and talks on a lasting peace were meant to begin a fortnight ago — but are only commencing this week.

The release of the four bodies has sparked widespread grief and outrage in Israel, with many calling for an end to the conflict and a lasting peace. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group made up of the families of the captives and their supporters, said they were devastated by the news. The group described Shiri as a loving mother who helped care for other children in Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest hit villages during the October 7 terrorist attack. The conflict has had a profound impact on the families of the hostages, with many struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones.

The handover of the four bodies could trigger Israeli authorities to release more Palestinian prisoners and detainees from jail. Israeli media is reporting that the cohort freed on Thursday could include women and children taken since the war in Gaza began, but sources in Gaza have told the ABC that this is yet to be confirmed. The release of the four bodies on Thursday also comes ahead of six more hostages being freed on Saturday, which will be the last group of living captives to be freed as part of the current six-week ceasefire. Another four bodies are expected to be handed over next week. The peace talks are expected to be complex and challenging, with many obstacles to overcome before a lasting agreement can be reached.

The latest releases are happening against a backdrop of significant uncertainty and anxiety over the future of the truce in Gaza. On Wednesday, Israel's foreign minister said his country could return to fighting in Gaza if the deal collapsed, but said the current agreement could be extended if negotiations on the future of Gaza were looking promising ahead of that deadline. The pitch by US President Donald Trump to take control of Gaza, clearing out Palestinians and building the "Riviera of the Middle East", continues to cast a long shadow over phase two of the talks. The following are some key points to consider: * The current ceasefire is due to lapse on March 2 * Talks on a lasting peace were meant to begin a fortnight ago — but are only commencing this week * The release of the four bodies has sparked widespread grief and outrage in Israel * The handover of the four bodies could trigger Israeli authorities to release more Palestinian prisoners and detainees from jail * The release of the four bodies on Thursday also comes ahead of six more hostages being freed on Saturday