JERUSALEM – Israel and Hamas have concluded the first phase of their ceasefire agreement, exchanging hostages and prisoners, but are facing delays in moving forward with the second phase of negotiations.

Israel has confirmed the identities of four Israeli hostages whose bodies were returned by Hamas overnight: Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat, Shlomo Mantzur, and Chachi Idan. Among them, 85-year-old Shlomo Mantzur was killed during Hamas's October 7th attack, and his body was taken to Gaza. The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the other three remain unclear.

In exchange for the hostages' bodies, Israel released 643 Palestinian prisoners, a move that had been postponed due to a dispute over the manner of the initial release.

Over the past six weeks, Hamas released a total of 33 Israeli hostages, including eight bodies, and five Thai nationals. Israel was to release 1,904 Palestinian prisoners, with reports indicating that between 1,700 and 2,000 have been freed.

With the completion of the first phase, it is believed that 59 hostages remain in Gaza, 32 of whom are presumed dead.

Despite the completion of the first phase, talks for the second phase, which includes the release of all remaining hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, have yet to begin. The initial six-week ceasefire is set to expire on July 1st.

Hamas has stated its readiness to negotiate the second phase, warning that "the only way for Israel to secure the release of the remaining hostages is to comply with the agreement through negotiations." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also announced that a negotiating team will be sent to Cairo.

However, a potential obstacle to the second phase has emerged. An anonymous Israeli official stated that Israel will not withdraw its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement. This development could further complicate negotiations between the two sides.

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