CAIRO (AP) — A top Hamas leader says the group will release six living Israeli hostages on Saturday and the bodies of four others on Thursday, a surprise increase that apparently comes in return for Israel allowing mobile homes and construction equipment into the devastated Gaza Strip.

A top Hamas official says the militant group will free six living Israeli hostages on Saturday and return the bodies of four others on Thursday, a surprise acceleration in releases apparently in trade for Israel's allowing mobile homes and construction equipment into the devastated Gaza Strip.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed plans for Gaza during a meeting on Monday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. Rubio is visiting the Middle East after President Donald Trump infuriated the Arab world with a proposal for the Palestinian residents of the war-torn strip to be resettled in other Arab nations and for the U.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the fate of the Gaza Strip if the war is ended. The new top U.S. diplomat met with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.