Eyes turn to Thursday in Israel-Hamas exchange

News has begun to leak to the local press from the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss a hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Reports in the Hebrew press alleged that ministers were informed that the release of some of the hostages held by Hamas would begin on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 12 television reported that the Prime Minister's Office has planned a 5-stage process for bringing the released hostages back to their country.

According to these stages, in the first phase, Hamas will hand over the hostages to International Committee of the Red Cross officials, who will then transfer them to the Israeli military.

The hostages will then undergo an initial medical check-up by officials and will subsequently be taken to one of 5 isolated medical centers across Israel to meet with their families.

Finally, the hostages will undergo a "debriefing" interview with security officials.

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS

It was reflected in the Israeli and international press that in the first phase of the agreement, Hamas would release 50 to 80 Israeli women and children held in Gaza.

In return, it was reported that Israel is expected to release at least 150 Palestinian prisoners, most of whom are women and children.

It was claimed that the hostage exchange would take place with the declaration of a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza, and that the agreement would allow for approximately 300 trucks to enter Gaza per day.

According to Israel, there are 239 Israeli hostages in the hands of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.

There are approximately 7,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, more than 2,000 of whom are administrative detainees.

Since October 7, Israeli forces have detained approximately 3,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.