Hamas on Saturday released all six remaining living Israeli hostages promised under the first stage of the ongoing cease-fire deal — as one heartbroken family finally received the remains of a

Hamas has handed over five out of six hostages due to be released in Gaza on Saturday, the final living captives whom the warring sides agreed would be released when a ceasefire began last month.

Hamas freed six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, the last living Israeli captives slated for release under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire accord, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Difficult negotiations are likely ahead over the ceasefire’s next phase. The ceasefire deal has paused the war but is nearing the end of its first phase. Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, are likely to be even more difficult.

The six included three Israeli men seized on Oct. 7, 2023, and two of the hostages had been held by Hamas for around a decade after they entered Gaza on their own.

As Israel anxiously awaits the possible release of more hostages held by Hamas on Saturday, Niva Wenkert recalls a video of her son Omer half-naked, tied to a truck and being beaten, one of about 250 people abducted by Palestinian militants.

Hamas will not hold talks with Israel through mediators on any further steps in the fragile, phased ceasefire agreement unless Palestinian prisoners are released as agreed, group official Basem Naim told Reuters on Sunday.

The six Israelis were the last living captives set to be released in the first phase of the cease-fire. The agreement, strained for weeks, has an uncertain future.

Hamas on Sunday (February 23) condemned Israel's decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, saying its claim that the hostages' handover ceremonies are "humiliating" was false and a pretext to evade Israel's obligations under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.