Hours Away From Freedom: Israel Prepares To Receive Hostages Under Gaza Peace Plan

Gaza Peace Deal: After fighting for over two years, Israel and Hamas have finally agreed to the first phase of a Gaza deal involving the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, with Israel expecting the release of hostages early Monday.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian on Sunday said that the country is “hours away from the release of all our hostages”, and that Israel has been ready “since Saturday night to receive our hostages”, news agency AFP reported.

“The release of our hostages will begin early Monday morning. We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles,” Bedrosian said as quoted by the news agency.

Earlier today, Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is ready to receive its hostages “immediately”.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that Netanyahu spoke in this regard with Israel’s Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brigadier-General (Res.) Gal Hirsch.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just spoken with Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch. Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just spoken with Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages.”

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 12, 2025

Prisoners Will Be Released After Receiving Hostages

The spokesperson further said that Israel will begin releasing Palestinian prisoners once it has confirmation that all hostages held in Gaza have arrived in the country.

“Palestinian prisoners will be released once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages set to be released tomorrow are across the border into Israel,” he said.

Bedrosian said that pending the identification, the Palestinian prisoners would be on buses ready to depart.

“As soon as we have confirmation that they (hostages) have entered Israeli territory, those buses will depart and begin their journey,” she said.

Gaza Peace Plan

Fighting for over two years, Israel and Hamas have finally agreed to the first phase of a Gaza deal involving the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, with the swap set to occur within 72 hours of the deal’s implementation.

Hamas will begin releasing Israeli hostages held in Gaza on Monday morning. As part of the deal’s first phase, Hamas, whose deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the conflict, will free the captives, 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The deal also includes key humanitarian measures. A minimum of 400 aid trucks will be allowed into Gaza daily for the first five days, with more to follow. Displaced residents will be permitted to return to northern Gaza, and the Israeli military will reposition to a pre-agreed “yellow line”.

(With inputs from agencies)