Hamas releases first two Israeli hostages in Gaza under fragile ceasefire

Hamas has released two Israeli hostages, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, in Rafah, Gaza. They were transferred to Red Cross vehicles and later confirmed to be in Israel. This marks the first release of six hostages under a fragile ceasefire. The release follows a dispute over the identity of a body returned by Hamas, which was initially misidentified. This incident has raised concerns about the future of the ceasefire, which has paused over 15 months of conflict. In exchange for the hostages, over 600 Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel. Hamas plans to release four more bodies next week, but negotiations for a lasting ceasefire remain complicated.