Tel Aviv: Israeli Prisoners to Be Released Early Monday Morning
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Al Jazeera via Mehr news Agency, the spokesperson for the Israeli cabinet stated that Israeli prisoners held in Gaza will be freed at dawn on Monday.
He claimed, “The army has returned to the yellow line, and we are waiting for all prisoners to be released together. All captives will be freed on Monday morning.”
The spokesperson also announced Israel’s readiness to receive the bodies of 28 deceased captives after releasing those still alive.
He asserted, “The release of Palestinian prisoners will only occur after confirming the release of Israeli captives.”
Simultaneously occurring, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office declared that Israeli prisoners would be handed over to the Red Cross on Monday morning.
This comes as reports indicate Hamas and Israel are beginning preparations for a prisoner exchange, marking one of the most sensitive phases of their Gaza war agreement.
According to sources, the operation to free live Israeli captives will take place Monday morning under strict security arrangements and direct supervision by the International Commitee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and international mediators.
Channel 13 reported that Gal Hirsch, head of prisoner and missing persons affairs at israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, informed families early Sunday that releases would begin Monday morning.
Hirsch added this large-scale operation requires precise logistical and security measures. He emphasized Tel Aviv would only learn final timing hours before execution to ensure its safety.
The official coordinating prisoner affairs noted it would take longer to find and recover deceased captives but confirmed preparations are complete. The bodies will be transferred through proper procedures for identification at Israel’s medical institute.
Hirsch said an international special team would also start efforts simultaneously to locate and free remaining detainees.
Security services aim to advance releasing live hostages by Sunday night. Meanwhile,Osama Hamdan-a senior Hamas leader-told Agence France-Presse early Sunday that releases would begin Monday morning as agreed with no new changes planned.
“According to our signed agreement,” he said, “the exchange starts Monday with no adjustments.”
Israeli sources reported prison authorities had begun transferring Palestinian inmates slated for release under this deal from Gaza through Rafah crossing into Ketziot Prison. Those due for release in the West Bank were moved toward Ofer prison near Ramallah westward.
An Egyptian delegation accompanied by ICRC teams is scheduled soon at Ketziot and Ofer prisons. They’ll verify identities against lists provided by Hamas before releasing detainees included in this exchange program.
Though, Israeli media outlet Walla News reported Saturday that Shin Bet interfered with negotiations by manipulating lists submitted by Hamas requesting release of life-sentenced Palestinian prisoners-cutting out key resistance figures-and reducing total names from about 295 down to 195 individuals eligible for exchange claims.
Shin Bet reportedly excluded roughly 100 Palestinians serving life sentences-including 25 prominent resistance leaders-with approximately 60 out of these remaining being affiliated with Hamas forces.
The original agreement brokered between Hamas and Israel during Sharm El-Sheikh talks called for freeing approximately 250 Palestinian life-term prisoners alongside some 1,700 detainees from Gaza in return for releasing 48 Israelis held captive.