Hamas returns bodies of 4 hostages killed in Gaza

(JTA) - Hamas has returned bodies of four Israeli hostages who were killed in captivity in Gaza - the final group of hostages to be released under the terms of the first phase of a ceasefire that began last month.

The four hostages, all men 50 or older, were abducted in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Unlike previous hostage releases under the current ceasefire, their bodies were handed to Israel quietly, without a public ceremony early on the morning of Feb. 27.

That stipulation came after Hamas paraded the coffins of three deceased hostages, an elderly man and two young children, Ariel and Kfir...