Jerusalem: Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of dead Israeli hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, keeping the fragile ceasefire deal intact for at least a few more days. As part of the agreement, the bodies of four Israeli hostages will be released in exchange for all Palestinian prisoners, Egyptian state-linked media reported this week.
Israel has delayed the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday to protest what it called the "cruel treatment" of hostages during their release by Hamas, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing them as "humiliating ceremonies". The Palestinian group claimed the delay was a "serious violation" of their ceasefire and that talks on a second phase were not possible until they were freed.
The deadlock had threatened to collapse the five-week-old fragile truce when the current six-week first phase of the deal expires this weekend. On February 26, Hamas confirmed the new agreement, under Egyptian supervision, saying it was part of the first phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel.
The prisoners previously slated for release "will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners who were agreed to be handed over," along with the release of a new set of Palestinian prisoners, the Hamas statement said.
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, Hamas has released 25 Israeli hostages in public ceremonies across Gaza.
