ISRAEL has said all the hostages will be released early Monday by Hamas as part of Donald Trump’s peace deal in Gaza.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian confirmed that the country is ready to receive the hostages “any minute”.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian confirmed hostages will be released by early Monday
GettyIsraelis at the ‘Bring Them Home’ rally in Hostage Square Hostages Square on October 11, 2025 in Tel Aviv[/caption]
In a media briefing today, she said all 20 living hostages will be “released together at one time”.
They will be handed over to the Red Cross before crossing the borders and entering Israeli territory.
She said: “Israel has been ready since Saturday night to receive our hostages.
“We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time to the Red Cross early Monday.
“If Hamas decides to release them earlier, we are fully prepared to receive them at any minute.”
It comes shortly after US Vice President JD Vance said that Israeli hostages could be released from Gaza “any moment now”.
“It really should be any moment now,” the vice president told NBC News‘ “Meet the Press” when asked about the timing for the release of the hostages by Hamas.
Bedrosian added “six to eight” vehicles will be arranged for their release – and they will all be without “any sick displays by Hamas”.
The hostages will then be driven to forces inside Israeli-controlled parts of Gaza, she says.
They will then be transferred to southern Israel, where they will meet with their families.
The spokesperson said: “Israel is ready. If a living hostage requires any urgent medical attention, they will be brought to a medical facility immediately.”
Apart from the 20 living hostages, the bodies of the deceased ones will be placed in coffins draped with Israeli flags.
“The entire nation of Israel will embrace them and ensure proper Jewish burials,” Bedrosian added.
Hamas agreed to the first stage of Donald Trump‘s peace deal, which includes the release of 48 Israeli hostages in exchange for almost 2000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel said it will start releasing these prisoners in buses as soon as the hostages enter Israeli territory.
Bedrosian said: “What we’re saying right now is that the Palestinian prisoners will be released once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages… cross the border into Israel,” she said.
“And once we have that confirmation, we are expecting that the prisoners will already be on the buses.
GettyEinav Zangauker (C), mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, Ayelet Samerano (L), Ilan Dalal, father of hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal (R)[/caption]
GettyMichel Illouz (L), father of Guy Illouz, and Ilan Dalal, father of hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal (R), embrace and react next to protestors[/caption]
“Once the confirmation comes through, they have crossed into Israeli territory, those buses will start [to go].”
It all comes as a breakthrough ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has come into effect – ending the devastation in war-torn Gaza.
The peace process began after Trump announced a historic peace agreement had been reached between Tel Aviv and the terror group.
And it has kicked off the first phase of his comprehensive 20-point peace plan.
The deal marks a historic turning point in the two-year Gaza war that has killed tens of thousands and devastated the enclave.
The 20 hostages believed to be alive
By Nick Parker, Foreign Editor in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv
Their faces have been emblazoned on posters and billboards across Israel for two long years as the nation prayed for their safe return.
Each one will have their own harrowing story to tell of two years and six days of hell in captivity in tunnels and squalid lairs – and constant fear of death.
Evyatar David, 24, is a captured guitarist said to be “shy but full of life with the soul of a musician”.
His brother Ilay David said medical experts who reviewed images of him in sick Hamas videos had concluded Evyatar had become a “human skeleton” having lost nearly half his body weight.
Illay added: “He is being starved to the point where he can be dead at any moment.”
Rom Braslabski, 21, was dragged away as he tried to rescue an injured victim in at the Nova site.
In August 2025, Palestinian Islamic Jihad video showed him crying as he says he has run out of food and water, was unable to stand or walk and was “at death’s door”.
Medical experts said he was suffering from “deliberate, prolonged, and systematic starvation”.
Avinatan Or, 32, was kidnapped at the festival with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, but they were immediately separated before Noa was rescued by IDF troops in June 2024.
His British-Israeli mother, Ditza, has said she just wants to put her ear to his chest and hear his heartbeat again after receiving reports that he is alive.
Alon Ohel, 24, was seen on Hamas footage being dragged away from the Nova festival site and has been seen on video being driven around Gaza City with Guy Gilboa-Dalal.
Pianist Alon was blinded in his right eye as he was captured when a Hamas bomb exploded in his face. His family approved the publication of a still from a new video showing his injuries.
David Cunio, 35, was abducted along with his wife, Sharon and their twin daughters, Yuli and Emma, then three.
Sharon and the children were released in November 2023 but in a video filmed on the twin’s fifth birthday, the traumatised mum pleaded with Hamas to allow the devoted to come home.
She said: “It’s always the only wish – there’s nothing else.”
Ariel Cunio, David’s 28-year-old brother was also abducted in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Ariel’s brother Eitan, who escaped the Hamas-led gunmen, said the last message from Ariel said: “We are in a horror movie.” Ariel’s partner, Arbel Yehud, was freed in January 2025.
Matan Angrest, 22 and an Israel Defense Forces soldier was dragged wounded and unconscious from his tank to Gaza.
His family said they had been told by released hostages that he was suffering from chronic asthma, untreated burns and infections.
Matan Zangauker, 25, was taken with his partner Ilana Gritzewsky from Nir Oz. Ilana was released during the November 2023 ceasefire.
Hamas later released a video showing Matan where he revealed hostages were suffering from skin ailments, hunger and lack of food and medicine.
Eitan Horn, 38, was taken from Nir Oz with his older brother, Iair Horn, who was released in February.
Iair revealed they cheated death when a missile felled their terror tunnel.
Etan found himself too weak to run as the tunnel collapsed and had to be dragged to safety by his brother.
Nimrod Cohen, 21, was serving as an IDF soldier when his tank was attacked by Hamas at Nahal Oz.
He has been confirmed to be alive but is in poor physical and mental shape.
After the new ceasefire was agreed, his mother Viki posted on social media: “My child, you are coming home.”
Omri Miran, 48 and dad-of-two was last seen being driven to Gaza in his own car by Hamas savages on October 7.
In April 2025, Hamas released a video showing Omri marking his 48th birthday. His wife Lishay said: “I always said and I always knew, Omri is a survivor.”
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24 was among the hostages taken from the Nova Festival site where 400 revellers were slaughtered.
He is among hostages subjected to psychological torture by sick Hamas savages who filmed him being forced to watch other captives being freed.
Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25, was captured after staying to help friends amid the festival bloodbath.
Yosef was last seen on a Hamas video hooked up to an intravenous drip in a squalid Hamas lair.
Elkana Bohbot, 36, was working at the festival when he was abducted.
A freed hostage who had been alongside him in Gaza said Elkana, who has asthma, was being held in inhumane conditions and had developed a severe skin disease.
Eitan Mor, 25, was working as a security guard at Nova and saved dozens of lives before being kidnapped.
Eitan’s family said they had received a sign of life from him. Three months later a freed hostage revealed he had “lifted everyone’s spirits” in the terror tunnels..
Maxim Herkin, 37, was captured as two of his pals were slaughtered at the festival.
He has appeared alone and swathed in bandages in a hostage video released by Hamas. The terrorists claimed his injuries were caused by an Israeli air strike.
Bar Kupershtein, 23, was taken to Gaza after staying to help treat wounded casualties at the festival site close to the Gaza border.
His family discovered he was still alive in April 2025, when he was seen in a video with Maxim Herkin.
Segev Kalfon, 27, was running away from the festival with a friend when he was taken hostage by Hamas gunmen.
In February, released hostage Ohad Ben Ami told Segev’s father, Kobi, that they had been held captive with four other men in a tunnel in “terrible conditions”.
Gali and Ziv Berman, 28-year-old twin brothers, were taken hostage at Kfar Aza kibbutz – and their family have conceded the brother’s lives will never return to normal.
Older brother Liran Berman said: “We had our lives before October 7 and now we don’t know what will happen – even if my brothers are released, it will leave lifelong scars.”