The Palestinian militant group Hamas has released the last surviving hostages it was holding in Gaza, in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, under the terms of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said early on Sunday identification of Engel’s remains had been completed. The Israeli government said it “shares in the deep sorrow of the Engel family and all the families of the fallen hostages.” The identity of the second person has not been publicly confirmed.

Hamas's armed wing announced that the discovery was made during ongoing search operations. Hamas's armed wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, said on Sunday that it had located the remains of one of the deceased hostages held in Gaza captivity,

On Wednesday, Hamas had said it had handed over all the Israeli hostage remains it had been able to recover, and extensive efforts and special equipment would be required to find the remaining bodies.

Hamas appeared to tighten its control in Gaza, as the group’s internal security organization urged residents to report "collaborators” with Israel.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Red Cross received the remains of two more Hamas hostages on Wednesday, hours after the Israeli military said that one of the bodies previously turned over was not that of a hostage. The confusion added to tensions over the fragile truce that has paused the two-year war.

One body Hamas returned to Israel as part of the ceasefire deal "does not match any of the hostages," the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday.

Israel received another hostage's remains from Hamas via the Red Cross, identifying the deceased as Eliyahu Margalit, who was killed on Oct. 7, 2023.

The last 20 living hostages released by Hamas are beginning a difficult path to recovery that will include rebuilding a sense of control over their lives and following a carefully supervised diet.

David and his friend hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal were separated in the tunnels and denied food so they would appear skeletal for filmed “proof-of-life” clips, with food restored only after filming. Viewers around the world were shaken by a Hamas video showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David emaciated and digging what he said was his own grave almost three months ago.