We’ve recently heard from US President Donald Trump, who said the Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza are being retrieved “now.”
Trump also said there is consensus “for the most part” between Israel and Hamas on what the next steps of his ceasefire plan will look like.
But as the 72-hour period for the release of the hostages progresses, much uncertainty remains about the US proposal to end the war in Gaza.
What do we know about the next steps?
Fresh details about hostage release: The release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza could happen overnight local time Sunday into Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter, and it is likely to happen from different locations.
However, the timing of the release is not definite yet and could still change.
Hostage families due to speak: The families of hostages taken on October 7, 2023, will deliver a statement in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square later today. The statement is expected this evening local time. We will be tuning in to bring you the latest developments.
In return for the Israeli hostages, Israel must free 250 Palestinian prisoners who hold life sentences, as well as 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza detained after October 7, 2023, as part of the ceasefire deal. Yesterday, Israel’s justice ministry published the full list of Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences who are due to be released. See who is on the list here.
Humanitarian aid: Trump’s ceasefire proposal said that upon acceptance of the agreement, “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip.” On Saturday, the Israeli agency that handles the transfer of humanitarian assistance (COGAT) confirmed to CNN that aid trucks were entering the territory, although the scale of the transfer was not immediately clear.