Israel and Hamas Conclude First Ceasefire Phase with Hostage and Prisoner Exchange

Six Israeli hostages and over 600 Palestinian prisoners are being exchanged, while tensions rise over Hamas's misidentification of remains.

Hamas is releasing six Israeli hostages, including two held for over a decade, in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
The prisoner release includes individuals sentenced to life imprisonment and others detained after the October 2023 conflict escalation.
The fragile ceasefire agreement faced strain after Hamas initially handed over the wrong remains of Shiri Bibas, later rectified with her confirmed return on Friday.
Israeli officials accuse Hamas of violating the ceasefire, while Hamas attributes the mix-up to Israeli airstrikes disrupting the identification process.
Negotiations for a potential second phase of the ceasefire are expected to begin in the coming days, mediated by international actors.