A senior official in the Hamas terrorist organization told AFP that the release of 48 hostages held in Gaza will begin on Monday morning.
"According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is expected to start Monday morning as agreed, and there have been no new developments on the matter," Osama Hamdan said in an interview with AFP.
The report also stated that following the return of hostages from Gaza, Israel would continue facilitating the release of approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons, in line with the terms of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
In preparation for the deal's implementation, the prisoners slated for release were transferred earlier Saturday to the Ofer and Ketziot prisons, Ofer for those heading to the West Bank, and Ketziot for those being sent to Gaza and Egypt. The Israel Prison Service Commissioner instructed prison officers once again not to allow any displays of celebration or triumph among the prisoners prior to their release.
On Friday night, prison medical personnel conducted health checks and an additional identification process before they were moved into holding cells at the two facilities.
According to directives from Israel's political echelon, the detainees will undergo further medical examinations and identification procedures by International Red Cross staff before being handed over by the Israel Prison Service at the designated crossings into Gaza and the West Bank.
IDF preparations
As in previous deals, the hostages will be handed over by the International Red Cross to IDF special units inside Gaza, who will escort them into Israeli territory. They will be taken to the Re'im military base, where, if their medical condition permits, they will be reunited with their families in an emotional encounter.
They will then be seen by medical staff and mental health officers. From there, the returning hostages and their families will be flown to hospitals in central Israel, which are preparing for their arrival. If some of the returnees are found to be in critical condition, they will be immediately airlifted to either Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba or Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
