Hostages set for freedom in key step to end Gaza war

Israel expects all 20 captives to be released as Trump says all sides are 'tired of fighting'

- William Christou

The Israeli government said last night that it expected all living hostages held in Gaza to be released this morning and that it was preparing for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the crucial next phase of the ceasefire deal that could end the two-year war in Gaza.

“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,” said the Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian.

Hostages will be driven to a military base to see their families or to hospitals if medical care is needed. The remains of hostages are expected to be sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.

An unnamed Hamas official told Al Jazeera that living hostages had been gathered in Gaza and that the militant group was expected to meet the Red Cross last night to agree on the logistics of their release.

The militant group had been holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. An international taskforce will work on finding the remains of hostages not released today, with many believed to be buried under the rubble in the devastated Gaza Strip.

Israel will also release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the vast majority of whom will be sent to Gaza or exiled to neighbouring countries, once Israeli hostages are back on Israeli soil.

Several Hamas commanders, prominent Palestinian political figures and detained doctors whose releases were requested by Hamas were not on the list of Palestinians to be freed. The doctors Hussam Abu Safiya and Marwan al-Hams, who were detained in Gaza during the war, as well as prominent Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti were not on the list. Hamas said it was still in talks with Israeli negotiators to secure their release.