Hamas has handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages as part of an overnight exchange, marking the final swap in the first phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement. In return, Israel is set to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals detained in Gaza and those held in Israeli prisons.

The truce, which took effect on January 19, has largely held despite ongoing tensions. However, uncertainty looms over the next phase of the agreement, as Hamas has stated that it has not received any new proposals regarding the future of the ceasefire.

The latest exchange came after Egyptian mediators facilitated negotiations, following days of deadlock. In contrast to earlier exchanges, the final handover did not involve a public display of hostages and remains, a move that had previously drawn sharp criticism from international bodies, including the United Nations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed early Thursday that Israel had received the coffins of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur. These individuals were abducted from their kibbutz homes near Gaza during the October 7, 2023, attack. The bodies are undergoing forensic identification in Israel before families are formally notified.

A full autopsy will later determine the cause of death, as authorities estimate that around 30 hostages have died in Gaza, with some reportedly killed by their captors and others during Israeli military operations.

The prisoner exchange includes 445 men and 24 women and minors arrested in Gaza, along with 151 individuals serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis, according to a Hamas source.

Footage showed a bus carrying released detainees arriving in Ramallah, where hundreds gathered in celebration. Among them was Bilal Yassin, a West Bank native who spent 20 years in Israeli detention. He described enduring oppression and poor conditions throughout his imprisonment but expressed confidence in Palestinian resistance efforts.

The first phase of the truce has facilitated the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Additionally, Israeli forces have withdrawn from certain areas in Gaza, allowing increased humanitarian aid access.

However, with the 42-day ceasefire set to expire on Saturday, the next steps remain unclear. While hopes persist for an extension that could secure the release of 59 remaining hostages, negotiations for a second phase of the deal have yet to begin.