A senior Hamas official has confirmed that the release of hostages held in Gaza will commence Monday morning, according to a statement made Saturday.
Osama Hamdan, speaking with AFP, said the prisoner exchange will proceed as scheduled under the signed ceasefire agreement. He stated that no changes have been made to the arrangement and that the process will move forward as planned.
The release involves 48 captives, predominantly Israeli nationals, who have been held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. The exchange marks the beginning of the first phase of a ceasefire deal that was negotiated with US mediation.
Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will subsequently release approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons once the hostages are returned from Gaza. The prisoner exchange represents a key component of the broader ceasefire arrangement between the two parties.
Hamdan emphasized that the timeline remains unchanged and that both sides are prepared to carry out their respective commitments under the deal.
The ceasefire agreement was finalized following intensive diplomatic efforts led by American mediators aimed at de-escalating tensions and securing the release of individuals held by both sides.
