This Monday, October 13, Hamas released seven hostages in Red Cross custody, the first as part of a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the army said that the seven hostages are alive and in Red Cross custody, on their way to being handed over to soldiers and members of the Shin Bet, the Israeli Internal Security services, inside the Palestinian enclave.
“According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages have been transferred to its custody and are on their way to Israeli” forces, the IDF added.
The families and friends of the hostages burst into applause when Israeli television channels announced that the hostages were in Red Cross custody.
Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event taking place in the city of Tel Aviv.
The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, announced that this Monday 20 hostages held by the group will be released.
“Al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance in the Gaza Strip are releasing 20 prisoners held by the resistance, as part of measures to implement the first phase of Trump’s plan to stop the war in the Gaza Strip,” the organization said in a statement.
The organization emphasized that this measure reaffirms its commitment to complying with the agreement and highlighted “the importance of the role of mediators in forcing the Zionist enemy to respect its obligations and complete the implementation of all agreed provisions.”
According to the Israeli press, the release of hostages would take place in two phases: the first starting at 08:00 (06:00 in Lisbon), in the Netzarim corridor area, which divides the Gaza Strip from east to west; and the second, around 10:00 (08:00 in Lisbon), in the Khan Yunis area, in the south of the enclave.
After the handover is completed, Israel is expected to release around 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons, in accordance with the terms of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement signed by the two sides.
Hamas also published this morning a list of more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners who, according to the movement, should be released.