8 Israeli hostages due for release in first phase of truce are dead, says spokesperson

Eight of the hostages due for release in the first phase of a truce deal between Israel and Hamas are dead, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Monday.

"The families have been informed of the situation of their relatives," Mencer told reporters, without providing the names of the deceased.

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That means that of the 26 hostages yet to be freed under the first phase of the agreement, only 18 are still alive.

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The truce deal, announced earlier in January after months of fruitless negotiations, took effect on January 19, bringing to a halt more than 15 months of war sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.

Under the first phase of the agreement, 33 hostages held by militants in Gaza are to be released in exchange for more than 1,900 Palestinians held by Israel.

Seven Israeli women have been released since the start of the truce, as have 290 Palestinian prisoners.

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