Israel and Hamas have agreed to exchange the remains of four Israelis on Wednesday night for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the Israeli government said, resolving an impasse that had injected added uncertainty around the future of the cease-fire in Gaza.
The agreement comes as the first phase of the fragile truce draws to a close in the coming days. Negotiators have yet to reach terms to extend the deal into a more comprehensive resolution to the conflict, raising concerns that the fighting in Gaza could resume.
During the first phase of the cease-fire, Hamas agreed to free 25 Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of eight others in exchange for more than 1,500 Palestinians jailed by Israel. On Saturday, Hamas released the last living captives set to be freed in the first phase, and Israel was supposed to release about 620 Palestinian prisoners in return.
But Israel delayed the release, saying the prisoners would not be freed until Hamas committed to stop staging “humiliating ceremonies” during the handoffs. The snag raised more questions about how long the truce would hold.
Hamas has been releasing hostages in performative ceremonies aimed at showing that it is still in control of Gaza. Israeli officials have condemned the ceremonies.
Late on Tuesday night, Hamas announced that a deal had been reached for the simultaneous release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remains of the four Israelis, who were taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. The Israeli prime minister’s office said mediators had guaranteed that Hamas would hand over the coffins without another release ceremony.
On Wednesday afternoon, Hamas’s military wing named the four dead Israelis to be returned as Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat, Shlomo Mansour and Tsachi Idan. Israel did not immediately comment on the names.
Some of the Palestinian prisoners listed for release were convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Others — including minors — were arrested without formal charges after Israeli forces swept through Gaza during their ground invasion.
The impending exchange may be the last in the first phase of the cease-fire, leaving both Israelis and Palestinians in limbo. About 25 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others are still in Gaza, according to the Israeli government.
It is unclear whether serious negotiations on the second phase of the agreement have even begun. Israel and Hamas were supposed to start talks during the second week of the cease-fire. But there has been little evidence of progress despite pressure from mediators.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, was expected in the Middle East on Wednesday in an attempt to move the talks forward. But Mr. Witkoff’s trip has been delayed, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss his schedule.
Still, neither Israel nor Hamas seem eager to immediately return to war. Hamas most likely wants to maintain the truce to rebuild its power in devastated Gaza. For Israel, the return of the remaining captives and bodies held by Hamas is a priority.
The Israeli military has already made extensive preparations for a new and intense campaign in Gaza, according to three defense officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak more freely. On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it had increased “operational readiness in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip.”
The first phase of the cease-fire has been plagued by repeated allegations of violations on both sides.
Israel has repeatedly fired on Palestinians in Gaza who it said were violating the truce by approaching forbidden areas, killing some and wounding others, according to local health officials. The Israeli military has also said that it has struck areas from where rockets have been launched in Gaza; none of those projectiles crossed the border into Israeli territory.
And days before the release of the prisoners was delayed, Hamas’s initial failure to return the body of Shiri Bibas as promised provoked outrage in Israel. Hamas militants had handed over what it said was her body alongside her children’s remains in a televised ceremony.
Israeli forensic analysts later determined that the remains did not belong to her. Hamas later acknowledged the possibility of a mistake and handed over the correct remains late on Friday night.
