The bodies of four Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas more than a year ago were returned to Israel early Thursday, officials said, in an overnight exchange held five days after Israel halted prisoner releases in protest over Hamas' repeated use of hostage handovers as "humiliating" publicity stunts.

Hamas handed over the bodies of four hostages to the Red Cross early Thursday in exchange for Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was to end.

Hamas says it will return the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages on Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners

Israel on Thursday released 596 Palestinians held in jails as part of the seventh exchange under the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner-hostage deal with Hamas. It came after the Palestinian group handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross.