Gaza hostage deal awaits Israeli government approval

The countdown to return the 48 hostages held by Hamas for more than two years and the end to the brutal war in Gaza will officially commence Thursday morning after the Israeli security cabinet and government convene to approve the deal signed overnight. 

Once the government approves the terms of the deal hashed out by Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and U.S. mediators, Hamas has 72 hours to release the 20 hostages still assessed to be alive, along with the 28 deceased, “in one fell swoop and without public ceremonies,” according to terms cited by Israel press agency TPS-IL.

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It remains unclear if Hamas will be able to adhere to this timeframe after it flagged over the weekend the improbability that it will be able to quickly locate all deceased bodies, some of which are allegedly buried under rubble.

Israel Defense Forces, which will begin withdrawing within 24 hours of the government’s approval to a designated line agreed upon with Hamas, will remain in 53% of the Gaza Strip until all the hostages, dead and alive, are released. 

Jerusalem will also authorize the release of some 1,700 Gazans arrested after the October 2023 attacks, along with roughly 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, under the first phase of the plan presented by President Donald Trump late last month.

According to TPS-IL, Israeli officials have indicated that the prisoner release does not include members of Hamas’ Nukhba force, which took part in the Oct. 7 attacks, or the most prominent Hamas commanders who stand as “symbols of terrorist organizations.”

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Some of the hostages could be released as early as Saturday and preparations are already underway to receive those who have been held for the last 733 days in horrific conditions, often enduring starvation, torture and a lack of access to medical treatment. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu championed the plan and urged his government to approve the details of the agreement in a statement on X when he said, “With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.

“Through steadfast resolve, powerful military action, and the great efforts of our great friend and ally President Trump, we have reached this critical turning point,” he added. “I thank President Trump for his leadership, his partnership, and his unwavering commitment to the safety of Israel and the freedom of our hostages.”

All living hostages are expected to be returned to Israel by Sunday and the return of the deceased will begin on Monday.

A trauma-oriented plan has reportedly been devised to help transition the hostages from their confinement, and officials are preparing for the fact that the physical and mental state of the hostages in this exchange could be even more precarious and complex than during previous returns. 

Rooms at the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv have already been prepared to receive the hostages and include not only the medical and psychological infrastructure needed for the victims, but full privacy and a home-like atmosphere for their stay.

The recovery plan for the hostages has been broken up into five stages based on professional experience and knowledge acquired from previous abductees, and includes preliminary preparations to receive the victims, the first 24-hour period they are in the hospital following their release, the necessary amount of time required for their hospital stay based on an individual’s needs, a transition phase lasting up to a month, and long-term support, according to details reported by TPS-IL.

Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday.