The Palestinian militant group Hamas reported that it had reached an agreement with Israel for the simultaneous release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners and the return of the bodies of four Israeli hostages.
The solution is to release Palestinian prisoners simultaneously with the bodies of Israeli hostages killed in the first phase of the ceasefire, said Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Hamas said its delegation, led by the group's head Khalil Al-Haj, reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire agreement "with all its stages and clauses."
"They (Palestinian prisoners) will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners (hostages) they agreed to hand over during the first phase," Hamas announced.
Israel on Saturday postponed the release of 620 Palestinians because Hamas was releasing Israeli hostages in a "humiliating manner."
The Hamas statement suggests that a crisis that could have disrupted the fragile ceasefire agreement has been averted.
Official Israel has not yet commented.
However, several Israeli media outlets, citing Israeli officials, confirmed the agreement between the two warring parties announced by Hamas.
Israeli officials said Tuesday that Israel is considering deepening the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire as it seeks to bring home the remaining 63 hostages, while for now delaying a deal on the enclave's future.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, launched with the support of the United States and the help of Egyptian and Qatari mediators on January 19, is set to end on Saturday and it is unclear what will come next.
So far, 29 Israeli hostages and five Thais have been released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, could arrive in the region this week to try to ensure the continuation of a fragile ceasefire reached after 15 months of war.
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