Israel has handed over 45 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of three hostages, according to an agreement with Hamas, as part of the ceasefire in Gaza Strip.

The Hamas Ministry of Health announced that Israel has handed over the remains of 45 Palestinians, as part of a ceasefire agreement in effect since October 10, in the context of the War in Gaza. According to this agreement, Israel hands over the remains of 15 Palestinians for each hostage released by Hamas. Israel confirmed the receipt of the remains of three hostages, and the Gaza Ministry of Health stated that the total number of bodies received has reached 270. The hostages were abducted following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the current conflict. Since the beginning of the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over 20 bodies, including those of foreign citizens, without Israel returning any other Palestinian corpses. Hamas emphasized the difficulties in locating the remains in Gaza, severely affected by the war.