IDF: The bodies of eight terrorists will be returned to the Palestinians
The transfers will be carried out on New Year's Eve.
By NOAM AMIR/MAARIV HASHAVUAUpdated: DECEMBER 31, 2015 18:01Palestinians take part in a West Bank funeral procession for an Islamic Jihad man who died after his release from an Israeli prison(photo credit: MAAN NEWS AGENCY)
The bodies of eight terrorists who were killed while perpetrating acts of terror in the current wave of violence will be released for burial by the Israeli authorities, according to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).According to the terms agreed under the framework of a "coordination mechanism," the families of those who will receive the bodies have committed to accept the bodies at night, and will forego a public march.This is set to be the largest number of bodies returned to the Palestinians since the establishment of the coordination mechanism. Many family members still refuse the terms set by Israel in exchange for the release of the bodies. The mechanism was created by the security establishment in an attempt to end the mass processions and funerals regularly accompanied by violence in what is known as a "festival of the martyr."Meanwhile, during the graduation ceremony for the IAF's new pilots attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, the prime minister referred directly to the issue of securing the return of the bodies of soldiers killed by Hamas.Netanyahu began his speech by acknowledging the families of the late Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, saying "we are committed to returning your children home."Sources informed The Jerusalem Post's sister paper Ma'ariv of the details of the bodies set to be returned this evening, however the security establishment decided not to publish the identities of the bodies at this stage.