The release came after several days of negotiations following Israel’s refusal on Saturday to exchange some Palestinian prisoners it had pledged to free.

Hamas says it will return the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages on Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners

Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages while it waited for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in return, the last such exchange agreed as part of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

What may be the last hostage exchange of this phase of the cease-fire was set to go forward late last night. Israel and Hamas have agreed to exchange the remains of four Israelis for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Israel said, and mediators guaranteed that Hamas would hand over the coffins without “humiliating ceremonies.”

Hamas has handed over the bodies of four hostages in exchange for Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of their ceasefire will end.