Israel expects the release of 20 live hostages held in the Gaza Strip for more than two years at dawn on Monday, 13 October. This was confirmed in the office of the Prime Minister of the country, noting that all hostages should be released at the same time.
Earlier, the media, citing representatives of the Hamas group (recognised as a terrorist group in the US and EU), which seized the hostages on 7 October 2023, wrote that Hamas representatives were ready to release the hostages in the near future, possibly as early as the evening of 12 October.
Israel said they would reportedly be released around 6am.
The deadline for the hostages’ release, set by the ceasefire agreement, expires at noon on 13 October.
“Hamas will also hand over the bodies of the dead hostages – 28 of them. but it is not yet clear whether all the bodies will be handed over at the same time as the release of the live hostages.”
Israel said Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for hostages will be released as soon as all hostages are inside Israel.
Hamas, meanwhile, continues to press for the release of also unlisted seven convicts on terrorism charges who are considered members of the Palestinian group’s leadership, according to several media sources.
The White House said US President Donald Trump, whose peace initiative formed the basis of the hostage release agreement, is travelling to Israel, where he will arrive on Monday morning. He is expected to address the Knesset and is also likely to meet with the families of the hostages.
He will then travel to the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, where a summit with more than 20 world leaders will be held to end the war in Gaza.
Agreement on the first phase of the peace plan previously proposed by Trump was reached this week in Egypt in indirect talks between Israel and the Hamas group mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US.
In return for the Israeli withdrawal from a number of positions in the Gaza Strip, Hamas promised to release all living hostages and hand over dead bodies.
In exchange, Israel is to release some 250 Palestinians sentenced to life terms and about 1,700 others who have been detained since the Gaza war began.
A ceasefire has been in effect since Friday. So far, however, there are no agreements on the future of the Gaza Strip and Hamas.