BEIRUT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 185 Palestinian and Arab fighters were returned to Lebanon through Naqoura border point Thursday morning following an Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap started on Wednesday, local Al-Manar TV reported.

    The remains were carried to the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Thursday in a triumphal convoy.

    The UN-sponsored swap deal between Israel and Hezbollah started on Wednesday morning, when Israel received in black coffins the remains of two soldiers captured by Hezbollah on July 12, 2006.

    Israel in return released four Hezbollah fighters captured during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, along with Samir Kuntar who was jailed in Israel since 1979 for murdering three family members and a police officer.

    In addition to the prisoners, Israel also handed over on Wednesday the remains of eight Hezbollah fighters and four Palestinian guerillas.

    Lebanese celebrated the swap Wednesday during an official ceremony which gathered all top leaders in the country.

    A parade was staged at the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah addressed the crowds after a rare appearance to welcome the prisoners.

Israel, Hezbollah swap prisoners on border

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Rabbinate speaks to media after identifying the remains of the two Israeli soldiers at the entrance of Rosh Hanikra Lebanon-Israel border crossing, July 16, 2008. Hezbollah returned on Wednesday the two abducted Israeli reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in exchange for five imprisoned Lebanese militants and the remains of some 200 Arabs. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Photo Gallery>>>

    JERUSALEM, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Wednesday returned five Lebanese prisoners to Hezbollah after receiving the bodies of two kidnapped Israeli soldiers from the Lebanese group in a prisoners swap between the two sides.

    Four imprisoned Hezbollah militants and a convicted Lebanese killer named Samir Kuntar were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the Rosh Hanikra border crossing, who then transferred them to the Lebaneseside.