Israel and Hamas have agreed that the remains of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza will be returned on Wednesday night, following mediation efforts that resolved recent ceasefire tensions.

In exchange, Israel plans to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, whose freedom had been stalled since last weekend due to concerns over the alleged mistreatment of hostages being returned by Hamas.

The office of the Israeli Prime Minister declared that the four bodies would be restored “without any ceremonies by Hamas,” while the Israel Prison Service confirmed preparations for the release of prisoners and detainees from Gaza.

Hamas also validated the exchange agreement, with their Prisoners’ Media Office stating that a hospital in Gaza was getting ready to admit the released Palestinians.

This development could enable US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to visit the region, as he aims to initiate stalled discussions between Israel and Hamas regarding the second stage of the ceasefire, with the first phase set to conclude on Saturday.

The news of this advancement came as thousands of Israelis congregated along roads in central and southern Israel to witness the funeral of hostages Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, whose bodies were returned by Hamas last week.

All three were killed while in captivity following their abduction during the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Israel asserts they were murdered by their captors, disputing Hamas’s claim of their deaths resulting from an Israeli airstrike.

Late on Tuesday, Hamas reported that a delegation led by its Gaza leader, Khalil al-Hayya, wrapped up talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo and reached a resolution on the postponed release of Palestinian prisoners.

“They will be released simultaneously alongside the bodies of the Israeli [hostages] that were agreed to be handed over during the initial phase, along with the corresponding Palestinian women and children,” the statement added.

Hayya reiterated Hamas’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement “across all of its stages and terms,” despite being designated as a terrorist organization by multiple nations including Israel, the US, and the UK.

Israeli representatives also confirmed an agreement had been reached with mediators, but it wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a concise statement about it.

“Tonight, four of our deceased hostages will be returned as part of the first stage, following an agreed-upon procedure and without any Hamas ceremonies,” the statement remarked, although specific names were not mentioned.

A spokesperson for Hamas’s military wing later stated, “As part of the agreement, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades has determined to hand over the bodies of four [hostages] tonight.”

The individuals named were Shlomo Mansour, 86, Ohad Yahalomi, 50, Tsachi Idan, 50, and Itzik Elgarat, 69.

The Israel Prison Service confirmed preparations were underway for the release of imprisoned terrorists as per the agreement.

Operational units will escort Palestinian prisoners and detainees to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, where they will be identified by the Red Cross before the handover of Israeli hostages, a statement noted.

Once their release is authorized, they will be transported by the Red Cross to designated release points in the West Bank and at the Kerem Shalom crossing with southern Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office indicated that the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis is preparing to receive those returning to Gaza.

Previously, it was noted that the 602 Palestinians include 445 Gaza residents detained by Israeli forces during the conflict and 50 prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons.

These individuals were anticipated to be released last Saturday in exchange for six living and four deceased hostages that Hamas had transferred, including Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas.

However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced on Sunday that the release was being postponed “due to Hamas’s ongoing violations, which included discouraging ceremonies that demean our hostages and the exploitative use of them for propaganda purposes.”

Hamas contended that Israel’s decision constituted a “clear” violation, claiming that indirect discussions about further actions, including the deal’s second phase, were conditional upon the release of prisoners.

Within the ceasefire agreement’s initial phase, a total of 33 Israeli hostages are scheduled to be exchanged for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza.

To date, 25 living hostages and four deceased hostages have been released. Both Israel and Hamas confirm that the last four hostages are deceased. Additionally, five living Thai hostages have been released outside of this agreement.

The arrangement has permitted Israeli military forces to withdraw from densely populated Gaza areas, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return north, while aid convoys are now entering the territory in greater numbers daily.

The second phase of the ceasefire is expected to involve the release of the remaining 57 hostages, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.

In response to the attack on October 7, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages, the Israeli military launched a campaign to dismantle Hamas.

Since then, at least 48,348 individuals have lost their lives in Gaza, according to figures reported by the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The ongoing conflict has led to repeated displacements for most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, with nearly 70% of buildings estimated to be damaged or destroyed. The healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructures have collapsed, leading to severe shortages of food, fuel, medication, and shelter.