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 said it returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. This was the final hostage release under the first phase of the ceasefire. Negotiations have yet to begin on phase two.