JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas is set to take effect at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Sunday, following final approval of the deal by the Israeli government.
Thirty-three of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, including women, children, men over 50 and sick and wounded prisoners, will be freed during the first phase of the ceasefire, which is expected to last six weeks. Israel believes most are still alive, but has not received confirmation from Hamas.
In return, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinians from its prisons.
They include 737 prisoners, women and teenagers, some of whom are members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed dozens of Israelis, as well as 1,167 Palestinians detained in Gaza since the start of the war and held in Israel.
Israel’s Justice Ministry released their details early Saturday, along with a cease-fire agreement that will see 30 Palestinian prisoners released for every female hostage on Sunday.
During the first phase of the ceasefire, the Israeli army will withdraw from some of its positions in Gaza, and Palestinians displaced from areas in northern Gaza will be allowed to return.
It is expected that, depending on the results of the negotiations, a second phase will follow, the exchange of the remaining hostages and the completion of the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, which will begin 16 days after the start of the ceasefire.
SURRENDER OF HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS
On Sunday after 16:00 (14:00 GMT) Israel will hand over 95 Palestinian prisoners and will receive three hostages in exchange. The prisoners to be released on the first day of the ceasefire do not include high-profile detainees, and many have been detained recently and have not been tried or convicted.
The identity of the three hostages who will be extradited is not yet known. The military says it will release the names after receiving the hostages.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THEY ARE HANDED OVER?
Hamas will hand over the hostages to Red Cross officials who will take them to the Israeli army in Gaza. The army set up three locations near the northern, central and southern edges of Gaza in Erez, Re’im and Kerem Shalom to take control of the hostages, according to the route they take.
The hostages will be met there by medical staff, social welfare specialists and psychologists who will help them with the initial transition before being reunited with their families.
They will be taken by vehicle or helicopter to specialized institutions that will receive them and help them adapt to their return after the trauma of 15 months of imprisonment. He will be kept away from the press and will receive medical and psychological help.
