Israel ? With the transfer of prisoners and fighters’ remains across the Israeli-Lebanese border Wednesday, the Shiite militia Hezbollah achieved a victory it had long coveted and Israel received the long-feared confirmation that two of its soldiers were dead.

The swap between enemies began with two black coffins passing into Israel at a seaside border crossing. Subsequent confirmation of the identities of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev ended hopes that either of the two Israelis, whose capture by Hezbollah in July 2006 sparked a month-long war, had survived their ordeal.

Hours later, the man Hezbollah had sought to free when it seized the Israelis – convicted murderer Samir Kuntar – returned to Lebanon to a jubilant hero’s welcome.