Eight of the 26 hostages still to be freed by Hamas during the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire are dead, an Israeli spokesman said Monday.
Government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters that the terrorists had indicated the remaining hostages set to be released are alive, The Times of Israel reported.
NBC News also reported that eight hostages on the first-phase list were dead, based on a Middle Eastern official.
Roughly 90 hostages remain in captivity, Newsweek reported.
Israel announced the next group of hostages will be freed Thursday, with another release scheduled for Saturday.
The first phase, which is set to run until early March, is part of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began after the terrorist group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.
On Saturday, Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers they held captive for 15 months in a planned exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in Israel.
It was the second exchange since a fragile ceasefire took effect last weekend, halting the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks during which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed, while more aid flows in.
The first exchange took place Jan. 19 with the release of three Israeli hostages — Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, a dual British citizen — and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Hostages released by Hamas are in poor physical condition and face a long recovery process, according to an Israeli military doctor, Newsweek reported.
The outlet said Dr. Ami Benov said seven young women he treated — all injured during the Oct. 7 attack — were suffering from "mild starvation" and vitamin deficiencies, and their medical care during captivity was inadequate.
The ceasefire was placed in jeopardy Saturday after Israel prevented Palestinian civilians from moving back to their homes in northern Gaza. It said Hamas had violated the agreement because it had not released hostage Arbel Yehoud. Hamas also accused Israel of breaking the deal.
On Monday, Qatar, one of the leading mediators in the talks to bring an end to the fighting, said in a statement that Yehoud would be freed along with two other hostages before Friday, NBC News reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.