Hamas Returns Bodies of Four Hostages, Israel Frees 620 Palestinians

Hamas has handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages—Shlomo Mansour, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, and Itzik Elgarat—marking the final exchange in a fragile truce that is set to expire soon. This transfer, conducted without any public ceremony, occurred amid Israel's preparations to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners in return. The ceasefire, effective since January 19, has faced challenges, and both sides are awaiting the next phase of negotiation. The handover followed a previous incident where Hamas mistakenly returned the body of a Palestinian woman instead of an Israeli hostage, leading to public outcry in Israel. The recently returned bodies were transferred under the supervision of the Red Cross, highlighting tensions in the ongoing conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Hamas for its handling of the previous exchanges, pointing to a lack of respect for the hostages' families.