Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City
Al-Qassam: We will postpone the handover of the body of the Israeli captive we found, which was scheduled for today, due to the occupation's violations
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation aircraft launch airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Netanyahu's office: At the end of the security consultations, the prime minister instructed the military to launch massive military strikes on the Gaza Strip immediately
President Aoun: We urge the activation of the monitoring committee, the cessation of hostilities, ongoing Israeli violations, attacks

Palestinian Resistance hands over bodies of four Israeli captives

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 20 Feb 2025 10:49
  • 3 Shares
5 Min Read

The Palestinian Resistance handed over four captives in Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, with hundreds of fighters present, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu withdrew from the ceremony to receive them.

Listen
  • x
  • Hamas hands over bodies of four Israeli captives as part of agreement
    Hamas fighters deploy ahead of handing over the bodies of four Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, February 20, 2025. (AP)

On Thursday, Palestinian Resistance factions handed over the bodies of four captives in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, to the International Red Cross, marking the first part of today's exchange deal.

The Red Cross delegate signed for the bodies of the Israeli captives upon their arrival at the delivery platform in Bani Suheila.

Hundreds of Resistance fighters from the military wings of Palestinian factions took part in the ceremony to hand over the bodies of the four occupation captives east of Khan Younis. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu withdrew his participation in the ceremony to receive the bodies of the four Israeli captives."

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the commander of the Eastern Battalion of the al-Qassam Brigades in Khan Younis was also present at the Khan Younis ceremony.

المئات من المقاومين من الأذرع العسكرية للفصائل الفلسطينية يشاركون في مراسم تسليم جثامين أسرى الاحتلال الأربعة شرق خان يونس.

الصورة من هناك ينقلها مراسل #الميادين أكرم دلول #غزة_تهزم_الإبادة pic.twitter.com/vXvqybobzC

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 20, 2025

Our correspondent further added that "Resistance fighters involved in the October 7 battles are present at the handover," noting that "fighters from the al-Zana ambush of the al-Qassam Brigades, including one injured in a wheelchair, are participating in the process." He noted that "al-Qassam published the names of groups that fought in the Gaza envelope, including the Orim group, the 8200 site group, and the intervention site group."

He also reported that "a black car, belonging to the Shadow Unit and captured by the Resistance during the Battle of Al Aqsa Flood, was present at the ceremony to hand over the bodies."

Israeli media reported that "the commanders of the eastern and northern battalions in the Khan Younis Brigade, whom the army claimed to have killed, are participating in the process of handing over the bodies of the prisoners."

An Israeli media platform reported that "Hamas displayed, during the handover of the bodies of four Israeli captives, Israeli weapons that it had seized in the battles in Gaza." It added that Hamas "set up a platform and a large banner in Khan Younis accusing Netanyahu of killing the four Israeli prisoners they handed over today."

The banner read in response to the Israeli Prison Service's actions in the last exchange deal, "We will not forgive or forget; the flood was our day."

On Wednesday, al-Qassam spokesperson Abu Obeida stated that the bodies of the Bibas family and the remains of captive Oded Lifshitz would be handed over, emphasizing that they were all alive before Israeli military aircraft deliberately bombed their locations in the Gaza Strip.  

Related News

PIJ accuses 'Israel' of brutal ceasefire violations in Gaza

At least 90 martyrs from Israeli strikes on Gaza since dawn

Meanwhile, the military spokesperson for the al-Quds, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, Abu Hamza, announced the decision to release the remains of Lifshitz, also asserting that Israeli forces intentionally killed him during the war on Gaza.  

Hamas: We saved the lives of the occupation captives, but their army killed them

At the same time, Hamas confirmed that the al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance "were careful, during the ceremony of handing over the bodies of the prisoners, to respect the sanctity of the dead and the feelings of their families, despite the occupation army not respecting their lives while they were alive."

Hamas added, "We preserved the lives of the Israeli captives, provided them with what we could, and treated them humanely, but their army killed them along with their captors."

The movement emphasized that "the Zionist enemy army killed its prisoners by bombing their detention centers, and the Nazi occupation government bears full responsibility for repeatedly obstructing the exchange agreement."

Hamas stated: "The criminal Netanyahu is crying today over the bodies of his prisoners who returned to him in coffins, in a blatant attempt to evade responsibility for their killing before his supporters."

The movement stressed that "the exchange is the only way to return the prisoners alive to their families, and any attempt to retrieve them by military force or return to war will only result in more losses among the prisoners."

The exchange process will be completed next Saturday.

This phase is expected to conclude with the release of six living Israeli captives next Saturday, while the Israeli occupation is set to free over 600 Palestinian prisoners in return. This includes 50 prisoners serving life and long sentences, 47 who were released in the "Shalit deal" and later re-arrested, and 445 male and female prisoners detained during the Gaza war.

Hamas to release Israeli captives

The head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, announced on Tuesday that the Palestinian Resistance will hand over the bodies of four Israeli captives today, including the remains of the Bibas family.

In return, the Israeli occupation is set to release several Palestinian detainees on Saturday, following the ceasefire agreement.

In a speech, al-Hayya stated that the handover of the remaining Israeli captives’ bodies, as agreed upon in the first phase of the deal, will be completed in the sixth week since the agreement came into effect on January 19, 2025.

It is worth noting that the first phase of the agreement, which ends on March 1, includes the release of 33 Israeli captives, comprising 25 living and eight deceased, according to Hamas officials. In return, the Israeli occupation will release over a thousand Palestinian prisoners, including several hundred serving life and prolonged sentences.

  • Palestine
  • Hamas movement
  • Khan Younis
  • Hamas
  • Palestinian resistance
  • Gaza
  • captive-prisoner exchange

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and Egyptian workers search for the bodies of hostages in a tunnel discovered during searches in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' obstructing Gaza body recovery, creating false claims: Hamas

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam talks to US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus at the Grand Serail in Beirut, Lebanon, October 28, 2025 (NNA)
Politics

Salam conveys to Ortagus goals behind any possible negotiations

Writers boycott NYT, demand justice as Gaza media ban faces court
Politics

300+ writers boycott NYT Opinion, cite persistent anti-Palestine bias

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, Injure 3 Palestinians
Politics

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, injure 3 Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS