In a speech to Israeli military officers on Sunday, Netanyahu laid out four maximalist conditions for ending the war: the return of all Israeli hostages, the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza, the dismantling of the militant group’s fighting force, and the demilitarisation of the territory.

Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of four hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli source told CNN, indicating the fragile Gaza ceasefire remains intact for now.

The Palestinian militant organization Hamas on Tuesday said it has reached an agreement with Israel for the simultaneous release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners by Israel and the return of four Israeli hostages' bodies by Hamas.