Israel has outlined the procedures for today’s anticipated release of hostages held in Gaza, as part of a negotiated exchange with Hamas. The operation will include living hostages, deceased captives, and the subsequent release of Palestinian prisoners, according to Israeli officials. 

Unlike previous exchanges, where Hamas staged macabre public displays, this operation will involve no propaganda or “sick displays” by the Palestinian militant group, Shosh Bedrosian, spokesperson for Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, said Sunday.

The 20 living hostages will be transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and moved in six to eight vehicles. They will then be reunited with their families before being transported to three different hospitals for medical care. A separate ceremony will honour hostages who are returned deceased, with an international task force working to locate any bodies not handed over within Hamas’ 72-hour release window.

Palestinian prisoner release

Following the safe transfer of hostages into Israeli territory, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners in line with the agreement. This includes 250 inmates serving life sentences and approximately 1,700 Palestinians detained in Gaza since October 7, 2023. A spokesperson from Israel’s prison services confirmed that prisoners with life sentences were moved to deportation complexes in Ofer and Ketziot prisons on Saturday.

Of these, 142 will be deported, while others will return to the West Bank or East Jerusalem.

Hostage reception and medical care

According to Sky News, director of Nursing Dr Michal Steinman detailed the facilities where the hostages will recover. Each male hostage will have a private room equipped with a gift basket containing a teddy, blanket, slippers, and a phone charger to provide comfort and familiarity. Families will also be allowed to bring personal items to ease the transition back to normal life.

Phones will be provided by the army, and medical equipment is available in dedicated treatment rooms designed to feel more like living spaces than hospitals. Additional areas will allow hostages to spend time with families or meet visiting dignitaries.

Coordination with Red Cross

Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, explained that the Red Cross convoy will comprise eight to ten vehicles, including jeeps, a minibus, and an ambulance if needed. The convoy will pick up hostages at a Hamas-coordinated location, link up with Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) personnel, and transport them to Re’im camp in the Negev.

Hirsch said, “There will be one release wave of all 20 hostages. We have teams that will carry out the initial contact. These are specialists in the psychological field and in providing a sense of security.”

At Re’im, families will wait, and hostages will initially undergo medical checks before reunions. Freed captives will later be flown to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer (10 hostages), Ichilov in Tel Aviv (five), and Beilinson in Petah Tikva (five). Each will have a “safe room” for private family interaction and medical assessment.

Handling deceased hostages

Under the agreement, Hamas is also expected to release 28 hostages believed to be dead. Some of these coffins are expected to be delivered immediately, with a military ceremony planned at Re’im. Coffins will be wrapped in the Israeli flag, accompanied by an IDF honour guard and prayers led by a military chaplain. The bodies will then be transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir for identification.

Families will be informed of the identities of the deceased, and the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate will assist in funeral arrangements according to family wishes. An international task force will continue to search for hostages still unaccounted for, including those buried under rubble.

Timeline of the release

According to Israeli sources, the release of hostages will occur in two main stages. The first wave will begin at 08:00 local time (1 am ET) from central Gaza, followed by the remaining hostages at 10:00 from Khan Younis and surrounding urban refugee camps. In total, 48 hostages are expected to be released as part of this week’s ceasefire arrangements.

Of the hostages taken on October 7, 2023, 20 are presumed alive, 25 are believed dead, and the status of two remains uncertain. Four foreign nationals are among the hostages — two from Thailand, one from Tanzania, and one from Nepal — with three confirmed deceased and one, Nepali citizen Bipin Joshi, still unaccounted for.

Family reunions and support

According to Channel 12 news, families have begun travelling to Re’im ahead of the release. US President Donald Trump is en route to Israel to meet families and address the Knesset before attending a summit in Egypt with leaders from more than 20 countries.

CNN global affairs analyst Brett McGurk said hostages may not initially realise they are being freed, “Probably at this hour, hostages are being met by their captors. They probably don’t know what is happening… eventually, they will be greeted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and then they will realise they might actually be released.”

McGurk added that the success of the operation will only be certain once the hostages have physically crossed into Israeli territory.

Humanitarian preparations in Gaza

Meanwhile, preparations are underway to increase humanitarian aid entering Gaza. The Israeli military overseeing aid deliveries anticipates around 600 trucks per day will enter the territory under the current agreement.

(With inputs from agencies)