Palestinian armed groups on Thursday handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources.

JERUSALEM -- JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas is set to free six more Israeli hostages Saturday from the Gaza Strip, but the exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners is shadowed by heightened tension between the adversaries that clouds the future of the fragile ceasefire deal.

The release of 620 Palestinian prisoners is delayed, Israel said, “until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed.”