Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that "a decision has been made to release five Lebanese detainees captured in areas controlled by the Israeli army in Southern Lebanon, in exchange for determining and retrieving the remains of Jewish community leaders in Lebanon."
Netanyahu stated that "the remains belong to individuals abducted and killed by organizations in the mid-1980s."
He added that in recent months, both Lebanese and Israeli sides have been conducting various operations to locate the remains, including field operations."
Earlier today, Israel released Lebanese detainee Malik Kamal Razi, who was arrested in the town of Ain Ata in Rashaya in October 2025.
Razi, aged 20, disappeared in the Ain Ata – Rashaya area in November 2025, and it was later revealed he had been kidnapped and taken to Israel.
The released individual was handed over to the Red Cross at the Naqoura crossing, then to the Lebanese army. Razi is undergoing medical examinations before returning home.
Meanwhile, "Israeli Channel 12" reported that "Israel is expected to release five Lebanese detainees today in coordination with the United States as part of negotiations."
The "Channel 12" reported that the issue of detainees and missing persons remains central to discussions between Lebanon and Israel, with initial lists exchanged at the latest round in Rome.
Regarding the release of Lebanese detainee Malik Kamal Razi, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that "the safe return of any freed Lebanese to their homeland is a crucial step in resolving this issue," expressing "gratitude to the U.S. administration, especially Ambassador Michel Issa, for their efforts in this matter."
He added, "We will continue working towards the release of all our detainees, uncover the fate of the missing, and achieve complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories."
Salam emphasized that "regardless of how challenging the negotiation path may be, we will continue mobilizing all necessary efforts to protect Lebanon's rights and interests, especially for our people in the south, and ensuring their safe and dignified return to their lands and villages, and to fully restore the state's sovereignty over its territories."