Hamas has informed mediators that it is prepared to release the 20 surviving hostages as soon as Sunday—one day earlier than expected—according to officials familiar with the negotiations.
The terror group conveyed to Israel that the captives could be freed before President Trump, the key architect of the peace accord, lands in the region, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources close to the talks.
Although the release had been anticipated for Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu said the country stands ready to act at a moment’s notice.
“Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said Sunday.
The hostages’ release is a core component of the peace framework Trump helped negotiate between Israel and Hamas. Intelligence officials estimate that Hamas is holding 20 living captives along with the remains of at least 28 others.
According to the deal finalized last week, Hamas was given a 72-hour deadline to hand over the living hostages. Israel acknowledged that recovering the bodies of those who perished will likely take longer.
That delay stems from Hamas’ assertion that it has lost track of where some of the bodies are buried. “The IDF has completed its preparations for the release of the hostages and assesses that all of them will be released before Trump’s arrival,” a source told the Kan public broadcaster.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Israel early Monday to address the Knesset before continuing to Egypt as part of a regional tour marking the landmark peace agreement.
In tandem with the hostages’ release, large-scale humanitarian aid deliveries are being organized for Gaza. The terms of the deal require that aid be sent into the enclave at levels no lower than those agreed upon in January.
The Egyptian Red Crescent said that 400 trucks carrying 9,000 tons of goods—including medical supplies, food, fuel, blankets, and mobile sanitation facilities—are being prepared for immediate transport into Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz emphasized that Israel intends to continue dismantling what remains of Hamas’ tunnel infrastructure after the hostages’ return, working alongside international partners involved in Gaza’s reconstruction.
According to Wall Street Journal estimates, Israeli forces have so far destroyed between 30% and 40% of Hamas’ vast underground network.
{Matzav.com}
