The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that, "Within the framework of negotiations with Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the follow-up of the file of the bodies of the leaders of the Jewish community in Lebanon, whom he described as 'royal martyrs' and who were kidnapped and killed in the mid-1980s by terrorist organizations." The office said that the Prime Minister has been following up on this file for decades, since he assumed the position of Israeli ambassador to the United Nations. He added: "In recent months, numerous operations have been carried out to determine their whereabouts, by both Lebanon and Israel, including field operations." He pointed out that "in light of this intense activity, it was decided to release five Lebanese citizens who were arrested in areas under the control of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon." He pointed out that "after completing the investigation with them, it became clear that they are citizens who do not belong to any terrorist organization, and did not participate in terrorist acts, and there is no justification for their continued detention in Israel."