Hamas handed over the bodies of four hostages to the Red Cross early Thursday in exchange for Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was to end.

The militant group turned over four coffins it said contained the bodies of Israeli captives, and Israel began releasing Palestinian prisoners.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement in the early hours of Sunday saying that Israel was waiting to deliver the 620 Palestinian prisoners and detainees

Israel starts releasing over 600 prisoners who were slated to be freed Saturday, but source says they won't all be released until the bodies are ID'd, in what may be last handover of first stage The post After logjam,

Israel was supposed to release 620 Palestinian prisoners soon after the hostages were handed over. Officials gave no reason for the delay.

The Israeli prime minister's office said in the early hours of Sunday that the release of Palestinian prisoners planned for Saturday was delayed until the release of the next hostages is secured. Your trusted source for the latest news delivered weekdays from the team at U.

The release of 620 Palestinian prisoners is delayed, Israel said, “until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed.”

Talks with Israel through mediators on further steps in a ceasefire agreement are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being released as agreed, Hamas official Basem Naim said on Sunday. Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it had planned to free the day before until militant group Hamas met its conditions.

Hundreds of Palestinians supposed to be freed on Saturday are still in prison, which Hamas called a blatant breach of the Gaza cease-fire deal.