Oded Lifshitz, an 83-year-old retired journalist and peace activist, \”was killed while being held captive by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad,\” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. The remains of three other hostages — presumably baby Kfir, his four- year-old brother Ariel, and their mother, Shiri Bibas — are still undergoing identification. Israel did not release any Palestinian prisoners in return for the bodies, but videos online showed trucks carrying caravans and heavy machinery entering Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Hamas had accused Israel of blocking the entry of equipment needed to clear war debris, which the United Nations estimates at 50 million tonnes. The release of the remaining living hostages in Gaza is expected to take place during the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which still needs to be negotiated. Israel has said negotiations on that phase would begin \”this week\” The bodies were handed over to the Red Cross in the first such transfer since a ceasefire took effect on January 19. Upon receiving them, Israeli forces ran the coffins through X-ray scanners out of concern that Hamas had booby-trapped them, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported.
