Hamas returns bodies of four Israeli hostages

Hamas has returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages, confirming their identities through DNA testing. In exchange, Israel is releasing over 600 Palestinian prisoners, marking the final exchange of the current ceasefire phase, which ends Saturday. The bodies belong to Shlomo Mansour, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, and Itzik Elgarat, all taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks. Israel is conducting tests to verify the remains, which were handed over privately, avoiding public ceremonies. The prisoner release includes over 400 Gazans and 50 serving life sentences. Negotiations for a potential second phase of the ceasefire, which would involve more hostages, have not yet begun.