Under the terms of the deal, Hamas commits to release all of the hostages, both living and deceased, within 72 hours. That means that the U.S.-designated foreign terror organization must release all the 48 hostages by around 1:30 a.m. on Monday, Israel time.
Of the 48, 20 are thought to be still living. Israeli specialists and the Jewish state’s hospitals are ready to receive the remaining hostages, according to Netanyahu’s office.
Israel has said that it expects the handover to occur with “respect and decorum” and that it will not tolerate hostages being “paraded around like we have seen in the past.”
Israel has agreed to release 1,950 Palestinian security prisoners, including 250 who are serving life sentences for deadly attacks, and 1,700 Palestinians arrested since Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas requested that Israel release the bodies of its senior leaders, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar, whom the Jewish state killed. Israel denied that request, per CNN reporting, which cited an unnamed Israeli official.
Israel reportedly intends to send the bulk of the prisoners whom it releases to a third country, likely Turkey and Qatar, which have accepted prisoners in the past.
Leaders of the coalition’s more right-wing parties, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit, were expected to vote against the deal.
Religious Zionism’s chairman, Bezalel Smotrich, announced his intention to oppose it on Thursday morning, expressing his “great fear” over “emptying prisons” and freeing the next generation of terror leaders.
“For this reason alone, we cannot join the short-sighted celebrations and vote in favor of the deal,” he said.
Otzma Yehudit’s leader, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who serves as national security minister, stated on Thursday evening that he told the prime minister that “under no circumstances” would he be part of a government that allowed Hamas to continue ruling in Gaza.
“If Hamas rule is not dismantled, or if they just tell us that it has been dismantled while in practice it continues to exist under another guise, Otzma Yehudit will dismantle the government,” Ben-Gvir stated.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the name of the operation to bring back the remaining hostages would be “Return to their Borders.” The name comes from a verse in Jeremiah, which states that “your children will return to their border.”
The Prime Minister’s Office hailed the plan as “a historic moment,” and a “national and moral victory for the State of Israel,” in a press briefing on Thursday.
A spokeswoman for Netanyahu said that Israel achieved all three war aims he laid out: returning the hostages; defeating and dismantling Hamas; and ensuring that Gaza no longer threatens Israel.
World leaders, including those who have criticized Jerusalem and unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state, welcomed the agreement. The Israeli government called recognition of a Palestinian state a “reward” for terrorism.
Trump said on Thursday that he will try to visit the region, where an official signing of the agreement would be held in Egypt. He has also been invited to Israel to address the Knesset.
After the first phase is completed, Trump’s 20-point plan would move to a second phase, in which Gaza is to be de-radicalized and demilitarized and then redeveloped with a temporary technocratic, apolitical administration in charge. Hamas would have no role.
