Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Friday that the cabinet has endorsed the ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Gaza Strip. The plan includes the release of all remaining hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The cabinet approved the general framework for the hostage release, with details on other contentious aspects yet to be disclosed. The process of releasing the hostages and prisoners is anticipated to commence on Sunday or Monday.
Steve Witkoff, the chief negotiator for Trump in the Gaza conflict, confirmed that Israeli troops have started withdrawing as part of the ceasefire agreement. Witkoff stated on social media that the 72-hour countdown for the hostage release has commenced.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump acknowledged the complexity of the hostage release, noting the challenging locations where they are held. Specific information on the release mechanism remains limited at this point.
The agreement stipulates that within 72 hours of the military’s repositioning, all 48 hostages are to be set free from Gaza and handed over to Israeli authorities. Among the hostages, 20 are known to be alive, while efforts may be required to locate bodies of deceased hostages whose burial sites are unknown.
Gal Hirsch, Israel’s hostage coordinator, mentioned the involvement of an international force to assist in locating deceased hostages not found by Hamas. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will facilitate the exchange process, which is expected to be more challenging due to its scale and speed.
Hamas is advocating for the release of prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli prisons, including Marwan Barghouti. However, Israel’s published list of prisoners set for release does not feature Barghouti and other notable figures like Ahmad Sa’adat, Ibrahim Hamed, and Hassan Salameh. The list includes individuals involved in significant incidents, such as Ra’ad Sheikh and Iyad Abu al-Rub.
The ICRC is preparing for the upcoming releases but awaits specific details on the timing, location, and process involved. The organization highlighted the tight 72-hour timeframe for the hostages’ release as a significant challenge.
