7th Israel-Hamas hostage exchange

[Anchor]

Amid a precarious circumstances, the seventh hostage and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas took place today.

The first phase of the promised ceasefire will end next week, but discussions for the subsequent second phase have not even begun.

This is Kim Gae-hyung reporting from Dubai.

[Report]

Two Israeli hostages are led to the podium one by one by armed Hamas members.

Three other hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in central Gaza.

After having to shed tears for hostages who returned as corpses three days ago, Israel welcomed the return of living hostages today.

[Gili/Relative of released hostage: "We feel as if we are floating on a cloud. Today is truly a day to celebrate."]

Hamas, which had previously handed over the body of an unrelated person, delivered the body of the real hostage, Siri Vivas, yesterday.

[Levin/Family Forum of Missing Hostages: "We have all seen the nightmare that the Vivas family and all of us have been through due to the cruelty of the Hamas."]

So far, 25 of the 33 Israeli hostages agreed to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, along with 4 bodies, have been handed over to Israel.

1,700 Palestinian prisoners also have been released.

The issue now is the future schedule.

The promised six-week first phase of the ceasefire will end on the 1st of next month, but discussions for the subsequent second phase have not even started.

This is because the release of hostages by Hamas has often been disrupted by the controversy surrounding U.S. President Trump's Gaza plan.

There are also significant differences in opinions regarding the conditions for the ceasefire.

Israel wants the demilitarization of Gaza and the dismantling of Hamas, while Hamas demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces in exchange for the remaining hostages.

This is Kim Gae-hyung from KBS News in Dubai.