Last Updated on October 13, 2025 11:54 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
There are 48 hostages still in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
AMN / WEB DESK
Hamas has released the first batch of 7 remaining hostages held captive in Gaza. They were handed ove to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Red Cross had begun a multi-phase operation for the release of hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as part of a key prisoner exchange under the breakthrough ceasefire following two years of war. Palestinians are awaiting the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel.
The Israeli government says it expects all living hostages held in Gaza to be released on Monday morning and that it is 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 deceased hostages are expected to be sent to the national Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.
An unnamed Hamas official told Al Jazeera that living hostages had been gathered in Gaza and the militant group would meet the Red Cross on Sunday night to agree the logistics of their release.
An international taskforce will work on finding the remains of hostages not released on Monday, with many believed to be buried under the rubble somewhere 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 the 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.