GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Hamas handed over the coffins of four hostages early Thursday, Israeli authorities confirmed, followed soon after by the return of hundreds of freed Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank and Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel had received the coffins of “four fallen hostages,” and a process to formally identify them had started.

In the West Bank and Gaza, Agence France-Presse journalists saw hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel arrive on buses accompanied by Red Cross vehicles.

More than 600 were due to be released in the latest exchange, while Al Jazeera reported nearly 100 would be deported to Egypt.

They were supposed to have been freed last weekend, but Israel stopped the process following outrage over elaborate ceremonies Hamas had been holding to hand over hostages seized in its shock 7 October 2023 attack.

The row had threatened the first phase of a fragile Gaza ceasefire deal that went into effect on 19 January and ends on Saturday.

Hamas said Thursday that Israel now has no choice but to start negotiations on a second phase.

“We have cut off the path before the enemy’s false justifications, and it has no choice but to start negotiations for the second phase,” the group posted on Telegram.

Several of the Palestinians freed to Ramallah were hoisted in the air on arrival, some of them conducting interviews from the shoulders of friends or relatives.

A group of women broke into tears as they gathered around one released prisoner, and a child held aloft made peace signs with both hands.

Earlier, Hamas said the return of the four Israeli bodies would take place in private “to prevent the occupation from finding any pretext for delay or obstruction.”