Israel freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, shortly after saying Palestinian group Hamas handed over coffins believed to contain the bodies of four hostages, AFP reports.

In Gaza and the occupied West Bank, AFP journalists saw hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel arrive on buses accompanied by Red Cross vehicles.

More than 600 had been due to be released in the latest exchange, and Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News said 97 of them arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

Several of the Palestinians freed to Ramallah were hoisted in the air on arrival, some of them conducting interviews from the shoulders of friends or relatives.

A group of women broke into tears as they gathered around one released prisoner, and a child held aloft made peace signs with both hands.