Israel said to agree to release Palestinians re-imprisoned after 2011 Shalit deal in exchange for soldiers’ bodies held since 2014

Israel reportedly agrees to release Palestinian security prisoners who were detained after being freed in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, in order to secure the release of the bodies of IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014.

The Kan public broadcaster reports that the offer has been handed to Hamas, but the terror group has yet to respond, three officials involved in the talks say.

It is believed that 130 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Three hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 11 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.

The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 34 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza. One more person is listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown.

Hamas is also holding the bodies of Shaul and Goldin, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015 respectively.