Hamas says it will release the next group of three Israeli hostages as planned. That would pave the way toward resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas released six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, handing over the final living captives whom the warring sides agreed would be freed when a ceasefire began last month. Israel is due to release 620 Palestinian detainees in exchange,

Israel and Hamas began an exchange of four bodies of Israeli hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the delayed final swap that was delayed in a fractious six-week ceasefire scheduled to end this weekend.