The hostages were released in a staged handover that saw them surrounded by Hamas gunmen and crowds of civilians.

The warning came a day after Israel said its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond a Sunday deadline for their departure.

The Israeli army on Saturday warned residents of dozens of Lebanese villages near the border against returning until further notice, a day after Israel said its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond a Sunday deadline for their departure.

Israel has set up roadblocks in southern Lebanon, delaying its withdrawal as per the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. While Israeli forces claim progress, Lebanese authorities accuse them of stalling,

The Lebanese army on Saturday said it was ready to deploy its forces in the country's south, accusing Israel of "procrastination" in its withdrawal in time for a deadline the following day.Under the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire that came into effect on November 27,

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah is set to end on Sunday. In late November, Israel and the Shiite political party and Iran- backed militia Hezbollah had agreed on a 60- day ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting that killed nearly 2,