JERUSALEM- Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to Israel on Thursday, marking the final exchange in a fragile ceasefire deal that has been holding since January 19. The handover of the bodies was part of the first phase of a truce, which also saw the release of 620 Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons.
The deal was mediated by Egypt after several days of deadlock, with both sides securing commitments in the exchange. The four Israeli victims — Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur — were abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack on their homes near Gaza. Israel’s forensic teams will confirm their identities.
The first phase of the truce, which involved the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, is due to end this week. Despite the positive steps, the fate of the next phase of the truce, which aims to end the war, remains uncertain. Hamas stated that it has yet to receive any proposals for the second stage of the deal.
Meanwhile, the release of Palestinian prisoners was celebrated as buses carrying the detainees arrived in Ramallah, where they were greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters. The detainees included 445 men, 24 women and minors, and 151 prisoners serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis.
Read more: Hamas Pressures Israel to Begin Second Phase of Ceasefire Negotiations
The truce, however, is set to expire on Saturday, and it remains unclear whether negotiations for an extension or the second phase of the agreement will take place.
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