The Israel Defense Forces, in coordination with the Health Ministry, additional government ministries and security authorities, completed final preparations Saturday to receive the first of the hostages being released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip Sunday.
The preparations included home-like conditions inside trailers for the hostages to sleep before they head to hospitals to be looked over and all the comforts of home, including baskets of toiletries and fresh clothes.
Inside the trailers, the hostages will have couches and potted plants for a bit of décor. Outside, they can sit on outdoor patio furniture accented with colorful oversize pillows.
The receiving locations also have necessary medical provisions.
From there, the hostages will be taken to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families.
The IDF said it requests ‘patience and sensitivity’ from the public as the hostages return.
‘We ask everyone to respect the privacy of the hostages and their families,’ the IDF said. ‘The public is requested only to refer to official updates and announcements and refrain from sharing unverified information.’
The hostages have been held by Hamas for nearly 500 days since Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023.
Three hostages are expected to be released first on Sunday after a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas Wednesday.
The first hostages released are expected to be female.
In all, 33 hostages will be released, including two Americans. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be returned by the Israelis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday Israel wouldn’t move forward with the outline of the deal until it receives a list of the hostages to be released. That was agreed upon after the names didn’t arrive from Qatar as expected Saturday.
‘Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement,’ he said. ‘The sole responsibility is on Hamas.
‘In the … war, we make it clear to our enemies — we make it clear to the whole world — that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us.
‘To date, we have brought home 157 of our abductees, of which 117 are alive. In the agreement now approved, we will bring home 33 more of our brothers and sisters, most of them alive.’
He also credited both President Biden and President-elect Trump with helping reach a cease-fire deal.
‘As soon as he was elected, President Trump joined the mission of freeing the hostages,’ Netanyahu said. ‘He talked to me on Wednesday night. He welcomed the agreement, and he rightly emphasized that the first step of the agreement is a temporary cease-fire. That’s what he said, ‘temporary cease-fire.’’
Netanyahu said Biden and Trump ‘gave full backing to Israel’s right to return to fighting if Israel comes to the conclusion that negotiations on Phase B are futile.’
Netanyahu also said he appreciated Trump’s decision to ‘remove all remaining restrictions on the supply of essential weapons and armaments to the State of Israel.’
