Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indefinitely delayed the release of what would have been the biggest group of Palestinian prisoners so far

JERUSALEM -- JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas is set to free six more Israeli hostages Saturday from the Gaza Strip, but the exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners is shadowed by heightened tension between the adversaries that clouds the future of the fragile ceasefire deal.

Hamas released six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, handing over in two public ceremonies and one private transfer the final living captives in this phase whom the warring sides agreed would be freed when a ceasefire began last month.

President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday the U.S. expects the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal to go forward and that he would visit the Middle East in the coming week.

Israel’s security cabinet held an emergency meeting Tuesday following word from Hamas that three Israel hostages would not be released Saturday as agreed.

President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff will return this week to the Middle East, where he will seek an "extension" of Phase One of the ceasefire deal.

Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, described the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, his 3.5-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the administration's approach to the war in Ukraine.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to the Middle East on Wednesday to discuss with Israel, Qatar and Egypt the possibility of extending the first phase of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.