8 Israeli hostages to be released by Hamas feared dead
What's the story
Eight of the 26 remaining Israeli hostages—due to be released under a cease-fire deal with Hamas in the first phase—are feared dead, according to reports.
This grim revelation emerged from a list shared by Hamas on Sunday night, outlining the status of phase-one hostages yet to be released.
Israeli officials have confirmed that this list is consistent with their intelligence assessments.
Official confirmation
Israeli government confirms hostages' deaths
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer confirmed the tragic news, saying, "The list from Hamas matches Israel's intelligence, so I can share with you that," further clarifying that the eight hostages had been "killed by Hamas."
"Families have been informed of the situation of their relatives," he said without providing the names of the deceased, according to the BBC.
Missing family
Bibas family still missing amid hostage crisis
According to the Israeli government press office, 21 of the 26 captives are men, three are women, and two are children, with ages ranging from two to 86.
Israel will also free around 2,000 Palestinian inmates as part of the first agreement.
The most recent hostages to be released were four female Israeli soldiers who were freed on January 25.
The release came as a surprise as the dead said combat hostages would be released in the second phase.
Early release
Four female IDF soldiers released ahead of schedule
The soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were received by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City.
This early release takes the total number of freed hostages to seven.
Several of the seven captives evacuated from Gaza this week had been held in tunnels for more than eight months, according to a senior Israeli military officer.
Upcoming release
Next hostage release includes Agam Berger and Arbel Yehoud
All women showed symptoms of mild starvation with low vitamin levels, Avi Benov, the deputy chief of the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, said.
The next scheduled release of hostages includes three people, including Agam Berger and Arbel Yehoud, and is set to take place on Thursday.
Yehoud was featured in a Hamas propaganda video released on Monday assuring her family that she is "OK" and will be released soon, according to the Times of Israel.