All hostages currently held in Gaza are scheduled to be released on Monday as part of a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas.
According to Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian, the hostages will be handed over to the Red Cross and subsequently reunited with their families or taken to a medical facility. In return, Israel will release approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive the 28 hostages who are presumed deceased.
An international task force, led by Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, will begin efforts to locate any deceased hostages not returned within 72 hours. The search for bodies, possibly buried under debris, is expected to be a lengthy process.
Palestinians have started returning to areas previously occupied by Israeli forces, only to find their homes destroyed. Distressing scenes show Palestinians scrambling to collect food supplies in the aftermath of the ceasefire.
Civil defense teams have been recovering the remains of Gazans killed during the conflict. Hamas officials are currently in discussions with mediators in Cairo regarding the list of prisoners to be released, including prominent figure Marwan Barghouti.
Israeli authorities have cautioned against premature celebrations in the West Bank following the upcoming releases. Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed hope for a healing process on Monday.
US President Donald Trump is planning visits to Israel and Egypt to mark the ceasefire agreement. The timing for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, including those serving life sentences and detainees from Gaza, has not been disclosed.
Critics have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the conflict for political gain, an allegation he has refuted. Hamas’ agreement to release all living hostages to the Red Cross signifies a significant step towards peace in the region.