Talks with Israel through mediators on further steps in a ceasefire agreement are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being released as agreed, Hamas official Basem Naim said on Sunday.Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it had planned to free the day before until militant group Hamas met its conditions.

Latest news as six hostages were released as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal but Palestinian detainees and prisoners were not.

The Israeli military says the sixth and final hostage was released by Hamas in the latest exchange on Saturday and has arrived back in Israel even as heightened tensions clouded the future of the fragile ceasefire deal.

Hamas will not hold talks with Israel through mediators on any further steps in the fragile, phased ceasefire agreement unless Palestinian prisoners are released as agreed, group official Basem Naim told Reuters on Sunday.

Hamas has said it won’t release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, says he’s committed to destroying Hamas’ military and governing capacities and returning all hostages, goals widely seen as mutually exclusive.

Israel was supposed to release 620 Palestinian prisoners soon after the hostages were handed over. Officials gave no reason for the delay.

Israel is expected to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners after Hamas released the six Israeli hostages. "This is particularly true if Russia assesses that the US cannot or will not support the European NATO countries in a war with Russia.