The Israeli government has announced that it expects all living hostages held in Gaza to be released on Monday morning, as part of the next phase of the ceasefire deal. Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian confirmed that all 20 living hostages would be handed over to the Red Cross simultaneously and transported in six to eight vehicles. They will be taken to a military base to reunite with families or to hospitals if medical care is required. The remains of deceased hostages are expected to be sent to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.
An unnamed Hamas official told Al Jazeera that living hostages had been gathered in Gaza and that the militant group would meet the Red Cross on Sunday night to finalise logistics. There are 48 hostages still in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. An international taskforce will work to locate the remains of hostages not released on Monday, many thought to be buried under rubble in the devastated Gaza Strip.
In exchange, Israel will release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the vast majority of whom will be sent to Gaza or exiled to neighbouring countries, once the Israeli hostages are back on Israeli soil. Several high-profile figures requested by Hamas, including doctors Hussam Abu Safiya and Marwan al-Hams, and political leader Marwan Barghouti, were not on the release list. Hamas said it was still in talks with Israeli negotiators to secure their release.
The swap is the first step in US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. A ceasefire has been in place since Friday, but most details need further negotiation. Trump will visit Jerusalem on Monday to speak at the Knesset and meet hostage families, before flying to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to co-chair a peace summit with leaders from over 20 countries. As he boarded Air Force One on Sunday, Trump declared that 'the war is over' and that 'everybody's cheering'.
Palestinians are desperate for a permanent end to the war, which has killed more than 67,000 people and wounded about 170,000, according to Palestinian authorities. Israel denies genocide allegations, stating its campaign is self-defence following the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. In Israel, preparations are under way to receive the hostages, with hospitals running drills using actors. Families in the occupied West Bank also prepared to welcome released detainees, with Israeli authorities instructing them to avoid vocal celebrations and limit media interaction.
