Gaza hostage deal awaits Israeli government approval

The countdown to the return of 48 hostages held by Hamas for more than two years and to end the brutal war in Gaza will officially begin on Thursday morning after Israel’s security cabinet and government met to approve the agreement signed overnight.

After the government approves the terms of the deal drawn up by Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and US mediators, Hamas has 72 hours to release “immediately and without public ceremonies” the 20 hostages considered still alive, along with the 28 dead, according to terms cited by Israeli press agency TPS-IL.

HAMAS ACCEPTED TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN TO END THE 2-YEAR WAR IN GAZA AND RETURN THE HOSTAGES

It remains unclear whether Hamas will comply with this deadline, which pointed out over the weekend that it was unlikely that it would be able to quickly locate all the bodies some claimed were under the rubble.

The Israeli Defense Forces, which will begin to withdraw to a designated line agreed with Hamas within 24 hours after the government’s approval, will remain in 53% of the Gaza Strip until all hostages, dead and alive, are released.

Jerusalem will also allow the release of about 1,700 Gazans arrested after the October 2023 attacks and about 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, under the first phase of the plan that President Donald Trump presented late last month.

According to TPS-IL, Israeli officials stated that the release of detainees did not include members of Hamas’ Nukhba force who participated in the October 7 attacks or prominent commanders of Hamas who stood out as “symbols of terrorist organizations.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive at a ceremonial event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

MONTHS LATER, TRUMP SAID ‘THE WHOLE WORLD CAME TOGETHER’ TO STRENGTHEN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS PEACE AGREEMENT

Some of the hostages could be released as early as Saturday, and preparations are already underway to receive those who have been held in appalling conditions for the past 733 days, often facing starvation, torture and lack of access to medical treatment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the plan in his statement to

“We have reached this critical milestone thanks to resolute determination, strong military action and the great efforts of our great friend and ally, President Trump,” he added. “I thank President Trump for his leadership, partnership, and unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and the freedom of our hostages.”

All living hostages are expected to be returned to Israel by Sunday, and extradition of the dead will begin on Monday.

A trauma-focused plan is reportedly being devised to help hostages transition from their incarceration, and authorities are preparing for the fact that the physical and mental states of hostages in this exchange may be much more unstable and complex than in previous returns.

The rooms of the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv have already been prepared to receive hostages and contain not only the medical and psychological infrastructure required for the victims, but also complete privacy and a home-like atmosphere for their stay.

Rooms were prepared for the reception of 20 hostages, whom Hamas had been holding for more than 2 years, at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center on October 9, 2025. (Miri Gatnyo, spokesperson for Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center)

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According to information provided by TPS-IL, the rescue plan for the hostages was divided into five stages, based on professional experience and knowledge gained from previous abductees, and includes preliminary preparations for receiving the victims, the first 24 hours of their hospital stay after their release, the length of time required for their hospital stay depending on the person’s needs, a transition phase lasting up to a month, and long-term support.

Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday.