ISRAEL placed the ceasefire deal with Hamas in jeopardy today by announcing that it will not withdraw from a strategic corridor in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s refusal could spark a crisis with Hamas and key mediator Egypt at a sensitive moment for the fragile truce.

Hours earlier, Hamas released the remains of four hostages in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, the last planned swap of the ceasefire’s first phase, which ends this weekend. 

Talks over the second and more difficult stage have yet to begin.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Israeli forces needed to remain in the so-called Philadelphi corridor, on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, to prevent weapons smuggling.

Separately, Defence Minister Israel Katz said at a meeting with local leaders that he had seen tunnels penetrating the border on a recent visit to the corridor, without providing evidence or elaborating on Israel’s plans. 

Egypt said that it destroyed the smuggling tunnels from its side years ago and set up a military buffer zone to halt smuggling.

Israel was supposed to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor on Saturday, the last day of the first phase, and complete it within eight days.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Egypt. But in a statement made today, Hamas said that the only way for Israel to secure the release of dozens of hostages still held in Gaza was through negotiations and adhering to the ceasefire agreement.

The remains of hostages released today were confirmed to be those of Ohad Yahalomi, Itzhak Elgarat, Shlomo Mantzur and Tsachi Idan, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of the captives.

Hamas confirmed that more than 600 prisoners had been released overnight.

Most were returned to Gaza, where they had been rounded up after the October 7 attack and held without charge by the Israelis.

Some of the released prisoners fell to their knees in gratitude after disembarking from buses in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. 

In the West Bank town of Beitunia, dozens of prisoners were welcomed by crowds of relatives and well-wishers.

The released prisoners wore shirts issued by the Israeli prison service bearing a message in Arabic about pursuing one’s enemies.

Some of the prisoners threw the shirts on the ground or set them on fire.

The latest handover was the final one planned under the ceasefire’s first six-week phase, which expires this weekend.

Hamas has returned 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians held by the Israelis.