Agreement reached to exchange hostage bodies for Palestinian prisoners

TEL AVIV, Israel

Israeli and Hamas officials announced a deal on Tuesday to exchange the bodies of deceased hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, extending the fragile ceasefire for a few more days.

Since Saturday, Israel had delayed the release of 600 prisoners, citing what it called mistreatment of hostages by Hamas.

In response, Hamas called the delay a “serious violation” of the ceasefire and warned that talks for the next phase of the deal couldn’t proceed until the prisoners were freed.

Late Tuesday, Hamas confirmed an agreement to resolve the dispute, allowing for the return of four more Israeli hostages' bodies and the release of additional Palestinian prisoners.

This breakthrough marks the completion of the first phase of the ceasefire, which saw Hamas return 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The move also sets the stage for the second phase of talks, which are aimed at securing the release of all remaining hostages and negotiating an end to the war.