1 AP News in Brief At 6:04 A.m. EST .
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Hamas releases 3 frail-looking Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees under Gaza ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) - Hamas-led militants launched 3 gaunt, frail-looking Israeli hostages and Israel freed almost 200 Palestinian detainees Saturday in the latest exchange of a ceasefire that has actually stopped briefly 16 months of war in Gaza.

The captives ´ condition and scenes of Hamas requiring them to speak in a handover event triggered outrage in Israel and might increase pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the ceasefire beyond its current six-week phase.

Netanyahu has actually signaled he would resume the war, even if that means leaving dozens of hostages in captivity. "President Trump completely concurred with me: We will do everything to return all the hostages, but Hamas will not exist," Netanyahu said after the exchange.

Civilians Eli Sharabi, 52