After weeks of tense negotiations, Hamas has agreed to begin the release of 48 hostages under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. In the first phase of the agreement, Israel is set to free 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of a carefully coordinated exchange aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict. Reports indicate that out of the 48 hostages, 20 are confirmed alive while 28 are believed to be deceased. Hamas has acknowledged the difficulty in locating the bodies of the deceased hostages within the 72-hour timeline outlined in the accord. WATCH