Price of war: Israel to receive four fallen hostages amid Gaza ceasefire deal | WATCH

Israel is bracing for a heart-wrenching day as the remains of four Israeli hostages, including the youngest and one of the oldest captives held by Hamas, are set to be returned on Thursday. In an emotional address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent such tragedies from recurring, calling the loss a national day of mourning. "Tomorrow will be a very hard day for the State of Israel. A tumultuous day, a day of mourning. We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages, fallen," Netanyahu posted on X. Expressing the deep sorrow felt across the country, he condemned Hamas as "monsters" and urged the world to recognize the brutality of the terror group. "We are grieving, we are hurting, but we are also determined to ensure that such a thing never happens again," he stated in a video message.

Who are the four hostages?

As part of an ongoing ceasefire deal in Gaza, Hamas has agreed to return the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, with an additional six living hostages scheduled for release on Saturday, according to a senior Hamas official. The released bodies include members of the Bibas family, who had become a symbol of Israeli hostages' plight. Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel (4) and Kfir (9 months old) were among those taken captive on October 7, 2023. Kfir, only an infant at the time, was the youngest hostage held by Hamas. Oded Lifshitz, an 83-year-old retired journalist, is the oldest known hostage whose body is set to be released. For months, the fate of the Bibas family remained uncertain, with their plight sparking global concern. Hamas later confirmed that they had died during an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

מחר יהיה יום מאוד קשה למדינת ישראל. יום מטלטל, יום של יגון. אנחנו מחזירים הביתה ארבעה מחטופינו האהובים, חללים.

אנחנו מחבקים את המשפחות, והלב של אומה שלמה נקרע. הלב שלי נקרע. גם שלכם. וצריך שהלב של כל העולם יקרע, כי פה רואים מול מי יש לנו עסק, עם מה יש לנו עסק, עם איזה מפלצות.… pic.twitter.com/c1OYZo1WEN

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 19, 2025

Gaza ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange

The ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which started in January, aims to end the 15-month-long war. The agreement follows a three-phase plan, with the current stage focused on hostage and prisoner exchanges. With Israel preparing to receive its fallen citizens, the nation mourns yet another chapter of its ongoing struggle while vowing to ensure such atrocities never occur again.