Kat Lonsdorf

Today's release is the first time Hamas has handed over the bodies of hostages during the war, although several have been recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza and returned to Israel.

Hamas says it will release three hostages on Saturday, resolving a dispute with Israel that threatened to derail the ceasefire. In exchange, Israel will free dozens of Palestinians from jail.

Israel threatened Tuesday to resume hostilities with Hamas in Gaza unless the militant group releases hostages under the ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to resume hostilities unless Hamas releases hostages under a ceasefire agreement on Saturday. Hamas said Monday it is delaying the hostage release.

Hamas is delaying the release of the next group of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of preventing aid and Palestinians from returning home in Gaza. Israel said Hamas is violating the ceasefire.

The exchanges are part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

It wasn't immediately clear what legal authority Trump would have to execute his proposals, and they would likely be met by fierce resistance from Palestinians and from regional Arab countries.

Siegel is the first American to be released as part of this deal. A total of 18 hostages have been released since the ceasefire took effect. Hundreds of Palestinians have been released so far.

Three more Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released by Palestinian militants from captivity and returned to Israel, after being held for more than 15 months in Gaza.

Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. His visit to Gaza on Wednesday was the first by a senior U.S. official in more than a decade.