Hamas releases all six hostages in exchange with Israel

Hamas has released all six hostages in a recent exchange with Israel, including three men taken from a music festival and others abducted during the October 7 attacks. This marks the end of the first phase of a fragile ceasefire. The hostages were handed over in staged ceremonies, which have drawn criticism for lacking dignity. The final hostage released is expected to be Hisham Al-Sayed, who had been held since 2015. In return, Israel plans to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, including those serving life sentences. Hamas has stated it will not release remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal.