A top Hamas official has announced that the release of 48 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza will begin on Monday morning, marking the first
stage of a prisoner exchange deal mediated by the United States. Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, told AFP on Saturday that the agreement between Israel and Hamas is set to start as planned. “According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed, and there are no new developments on this matter,” Hamdan said. Hamdan said that militants on the ground have not yet informed Hamas leadership about the detailed logistics of the handover. He also said that Hamas’s prisoners office is still negotiating with Israel over the final list of Palestinian detainees to be released. “Israel is still refusing to release certain names. However, the negotiating delegation is making every effort to secure their release,” he said. The final list of prisoners is expected to be ready by Saturday night or Sunday morning at the latest.
Details Of Hostages
Of the 48 hostages, reports indicate that 20 are alive while 28 are deceased, as per Times Of Israel report. Hamas previously said that locating the bodies of some deceased captives could take longer than the 72-hour deadline outlined in the agreement.
Following the return of the hostages from Gaza, Israel will release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first stage of the ceasefire agreement. The deal, brokered under US mediation, is intended to reduce tensions and provide humanitarian relief in Gaza.
Humanitarian Measures
In addition to the prisoner exchange, the agreement calls for opening five entry points for humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set to reopen for the movement of individuals in both directions starting next Wednesday, Hamdan said. Italy confirmed that the crossing would reopen under EU supervision on Tuesday, with a police presence from Italy, Spain, and France.
“The goal is to ensure a peaceful process and provide relief for civilians on both sides,” Hamdan said, emphasizing the importance of following the agreement carefully to avoid further complications.
