Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Hamas has agreed to release six live hostages on Saturday and four dead hostages on Thursday, as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Initially, 14 hostages were left, with six confirmed alive, though it remains unclear whether the two children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, are among them. Hamas has claimed the children and their mother are dead. The remaining 56 hostages, both alive and deceased, will be part of the second phase of negotiations. Netanyahu sought to accelerate the release process, aiming to bypass the original seven-week plan. Both Netanyahu and Hamas face domestic pressure, with Netanyahu under political scrutiny and Hamas criticized for the hostages' mistreatment.