Israel identifies bodies in prisoner swap

Published on Wednesday 16 July 2008 16:56

THE Israeli army says forensics teams have begun efforts to identify two bodies turned over by Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

Hezbollah handed two black coffins to the Red Cross early today.

The coffins are believed to contain the bodies of Israeli soldiers captured two years ago.

If the remains are positively identified as Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Israel will later turn over five Lebanese prisoners to Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrilla group.

Army spokeswoman Avital Leibovich says the identification process could take several hours.

Several dozen Palestinians have been marching in Gaza to celebrate the prisoner swap.

Some in the group handed out sweets and others praised Hezhollah. They rejoiced at the prospect that Samir Kantar, a militant convicted of a notorious attack in Israel in 1979, would be released.

Some hoisted posters of Kantar. One celebrant was a former cellmate of Kantar's. Jaber Weshah said: "Today is a true day of joy for all Palestinians and all freedom lovers across the world."

The snatching of the soldiers in a July 2006 cross-border raid sparked a month-long war with Israel.