Hamas is set to return the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including members of the Bibas family, on Thursday. The announcement was made by AFP from Gaza City, marking the first time Hamas has transferred remains since the war began following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The Palestinian group stated that the bodies of Shiri Bibas, her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, and a fourth captive, Oded Lifshitz, will be sent back through the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis. Footage from the time of the attack showed Hamas militants abducting the mother and her two children—four-year-old Ariel and nine-month-old Kfir—from their home near the Gaza border.

The boys’ father, Yarden Bibas, was also taken captive the same day but was later released on February 1 as part of a prior hostage-prisoner exchange. The transfer of their remains is part of the initial phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which was implemented on January 19 after over 15 months of conflict in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Thursday as a profoundly painful and tragic day for the nation, calling it a day of mourning. The return of the remains follows a series of hostage exchanges facilitated by the Red Cross, where Hamas has released 19 Israeli hostages in exchange for over 1,100 Palestinian detainees.

According to Israeli authorities, of the 14 Gaza hostages eligible for release in the first phase, eight have died. Late on Wednesday, the Israeli advocacy group Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed receiving the devastating news regarding the deaths of the Bibas family members. The somber development underscores the human toll of the ongoing conflict and the fragility of the ceasefire agreement.