Hamas on Saturday released the last six living hostages expected under the first phase of its ceasefire with Israel with a week remaining, as questions over the next phase clouded the deal 's future.

The family of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas confirmed on Saturday receipt of her remains, just ahead of the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire. Bibas and her two young sons had become symbols of the ordeal suffered by Israeli hostages since the Gaza war began.

Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas's community confirmed her death Saturday after new remains were returned from Gaza, as the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire was set to go

Earlier this month, the president said he favored taking control of Gaza and displacing the Palestinian population of the devastated seaside enclave. But Egypt and Jordan flatly rejected cooperating.

The administration defends its proposal to expel most Palestinians from the Gaza strip, and not allow them to return, as part of a post-war reconstruction plan.