Gaza hostage deal awaits Israeli government approval

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The countdown to the return of the 48 hostages held by Hamas for more than two years and the end of the brutal war in Gaza will officially begin Thursday morning after Israel’s security cabinet and government met to approve the deal signed overnight.
Once the government approves the terms of the agreement negotiated by Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and American mediators, Hamas will have 72 hours to release the 20 hostages still alive, as well as the 28 deceased, “at once and without public ceremonies”, in the words cited by the Israeli news agency TPS-IL.

Hostage families in Washington after receiving news of President Trump’s announcement of a deal that will bring all hostages home on October 8, 2025. (Liri Agami and Alon Kaplun)
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It remains unclear whether Hamas will be able to meet that deadline after reporting over the weekend the unlikelihood of being able to quickly locate all the deceased bodies, some of which are believed to be buried under rubble.
The Israel Defense Forces, which will begin withdrawing within 24 hours of government approval to a designated line agreed with Hamas, will remain in 53 percent of the Gaza Strip until all hostages, dead and alive, are freed.
Jerusalem will also allow the release of some 1,700 Gazans arrested after the October 2023 attacks, as well as around 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, under the first phase of the plan outlined by President Donald Trump late last month.
According to TPS-IL, Israeli officials indicated that the prisoner release does not include members of Hamas’ Nukhba force, who participated in the October 7 attacks, nor Hamas’ most prominent commanders who are considered “symbols of terrorist organizations.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive at a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, Tuesday, September 15, 2020. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
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Some of the hostages could be released as early as Saturday and preparations are already underway to welcome those who have been held over the past 733 days in horrific conditions, often enduring starvation, torture and lack of access to medical care.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the plan and urged his government to approve the details of the deal in a statement on X when he said: “With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be returned home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.
“Thanks to unwavering determination, powerful military action, and the tremendous 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, partnership and unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and the freedom of our hostages.”
All living hostages are expected to be repatriated to Israel by Sunday and the return of the deceased will begin on Monday.
A trauma-focused plan has reportedly been developed to help the hostages escape their detention, and authorities are preparing for the fact that the physical and mental state of the hostages during this exchange could be even more precarious and complex than in previous returns.
The rooms at the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv have already been prepared to accommodate the hostages and include not only the medical and psychological infrastructure necessary for the victims, but also complete privacy and a family atmosphere for their stay.

Rooms were prepared to receive the 20 hostages held by Hamas for more than 2 years at the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, on October 9, 2025. (Miri Gatnyo, spokesperson for Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv)
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The hostage recovery plan was divided into five stages, based on professional experience and knowledge gained from those previously kidnapped, and includes preliminary preparations for receiving the victims, the first 24-hour period in the hospital after their release, the time required for their stay in the hospital depending on the needs of each person, a transition phase of up to a month and long-term support, according to details reported by the TPS-IT.
Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday.