Hamas Says Will Hand Over 4 Israeli Hostages' Bodies in Private

Hamas will forgo its usual handover ceremony when it returns the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Wednesday night, with Israel expected to free more than 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange, the militant group said.

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The swap will be the final one under the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal that went into effect on January 19.

Mediator the United States said efforts were underway to secure a second phase of the deal, whose complexity and drawn-out implementation have highlighted its fragility.

Hamas's armed wing said Wednesday that under the "framework of the deal, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades has decided to hand over the bodies of four hostages tonight".