Hamas has informed Israeli officials it is prepared to begin releasing 20 living hostages as early as Sunday — one day ahead of schedule — under the terms of a landmark peace agreement orchestrated by President Donald Trump, sources familiar with the matter confirmed.
The early handover comes ahead of Trump’s highly anticipated arrival in Israel, part of a multi-nation visit to commemorate the historic peace accord between Israel and Hamas, finalized last week after extensive negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that Israel is prepared to receive the hostages at a moment’s notice. “Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said in a statement after being briefed on the process.
Although the official timetable remains early Monday — exactly 737 days after Hamas launched its brutal October 7, 2023, terror attack — Netanyahu’s spokesperson acknowledged the possibility of an earlier transfer.
“All 20 will be released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles without any sick displays by Hamas, the terror organization,” said Netanyahu’s spokeswoman, Shosh Bedrosian.
Under the Trump-brokered agreement, Hamas is obligated to hand over all 20 living hostages within a 72-hour window. The deal also outlines provisions for retrieving the remains of at least 28 additional hostages who are believed to have been killed while in captivity. Hamas has claimed it does not currently know the location of all the deceased, adding logistical challenges to that part of the process.
“The IDF has completed its preparations for the release of the hostages and assesses that all of them will be released before Trump’s arrival,” a senior Israeli official told Kan News.
President Trump is scheduled to land in Israel early Monday before addressing the Knesset. He will then continue to Egypt to advance the broader reconstruction and stabilization components of the deal.
As part of the agreement, a massive humanitarian aid convoy is set to enter the Gaza Strip, including 400 trucks carrying roughly 9,000 tons of supplies such as food, fuel, medicine, mobile sanitation units, and blankets, according to the Egyptian Red Crescent. The aid deliveries will resume at levels originally agreed to in January before hostilities reignited.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that, despite the truce, the Israeli military remains committed to eliminating the remnants of Hamas’ vast tunnel network. Israeli intelligence estimates suggest only 30% to 40% of the underground infrastructure has been dismantled to date.
That operation, Katz said, will be carried out in parallel with the internationally coordinated reconstruction of Gaza.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan, unveiled on September 29, was quickly endorsed by Israel and received cautiously positive responses from key European and Arab states. After several days of shuttle diplomacy, Hamas formally agreed to the plan on Wednesday, with Israel’s cabinet approving it Thursday night.
The breakthrough sets the stage to end a devastating two-year war, ushering in the most significant diplomatic realignment in the region since the Abraham Accords. Trump’s itinerary signals continued U.S. involvement in ensuring both peace and accountability as the region begins its next chapter.
The post Hamas Agrees to Release 20 Israeli Hostages Early Under Trump-Brokered Peace Deal appeared first on Real News Now.
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