Israel identified the two hostages returned from Gaza through the Red Cross as an 85-year-old man taken by Hamas and an IDF reserve master sergeant.

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin threw his support behind legislation to allow for the formation of a special tribunal to prosecute Hamas terrorists who are part of the Nukhba, the terrorist group

Since the Gaza peace plan took effect early this week, Hamas has handed over 20 living hostages and the confirmed remains of 12 hostages.

Israel received the remains of two more hostages Wednesday, hours after its military said that one of the bodies previously turned over was not that of a hostage.

On October 7, 2023, Kibbutz Nir Oz was all but burned to ashes, with over a quarter of its residents murdered or abducted. On Monday, the community gathered to welcome loved ones back home.

They are the first of 20 living hostages that Hamas said it would release. Israel is expected to free over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange comes as part of the ceasefire reached in the two-year Israel-Hamas war that is the first phase of a peace plan brokered by the Trump administration.

Hamas hastened Tuesday to ease the pressure on a fragile ceasefire in its war with Israel by returning the bodies of more dead hostages. The move came after an Israeli military agency said it would slash aid deliveries to Gaza by half over concerns that the militant group was handing remains over slower than agreed.

Israel identified two of the four deceased hostages whose bodies it received from Hamas via the Red Cross after the final 20 living hostages were returned.

The singer also voices his “respect” for Disturbed’s David Draiman, who’s facing backlash for signing an IDF artillery shell last year

Israel and Hamas have taken a significant step in the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza war by releasing hostages and prisoners.