Eight hostages held by Hamas militants are returned to Israel as Palestinian prisoner releases proceed — but can the Gaza cease-fire hold?

The stage-managed spectacle of Israeli hostages being released in Gaza serves political interests on both sides. Hamas’ assertions that it is still in power bolster the argument that Prime Minister Netanyahu still has a job to do.

Palestinian militants released a total of eight Israeli and Thai hostages, and Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners, in a chaotic third round of exchanges between the two sides as per the cease-fire agreement.