Israeli officials estimate hostage return ‘6 or 7 AM’ Monday morning

Upon their release, hostages will first meet trained Israeli teams who have experience in handling initial contacts with abductees.

By i24 News and The Algemeiner

Preparations for the absorption of hostages returning from Gaza were completed Friday evening, according to Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, Israel’s Coordinator for POWs and Missing Persons.

Speaking in a briefing with reporters, Hirsch said the current assessment indicates that the release will begin in the early hours of Monday morning.

“It seems realistic from six to seven o’clock in the morning,” Hirsch said. “Both the Red Cross and our forces are preparing for this. However, we are also coordinating with various parties in case an advance release is required for additional operations.”

Each Red Cross convoy will include 8–10 vehicles, including an ambulance. “Everything the Red Cross asked of us, they received,” Hirsch noted. “I am in direct contact with them, including the regional director.”

Upon their release, hostages will first meet trained Israeli teams who have experience in handling initial contacts with abductees.

These teams will serve as the first official Israeli representatives the hostages encounter.

At the Reim camp, released hostages will reunite with their families in private rooms and undergo medical evaluations.

The site has been significantly expanded to accommodate what Hirsch described as a “large-scale operation that has not been done before.”

Ten abductees will be treated at Tel Hashomer (Sheba) Hospital, five at Beilinson, and five at Ichilov Hospital.

“The goal is to create a safe, hermetic environment that provides everything they need,” Hirsch said, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally inspected the facilities in recent days and issued several directives.

Hospitals including Soroka and Barzilai are also on standby for any emergency evacuations if required.

After the living hostages are transferred to Israel, Red Cross personnel will return to Gaza to retrieve the bodies of kidnapped victims who were killed.

“Adjustments will be made to the vehicles to bring the victims to Israel for burial,” Hirsch said.

He confirmed that several victims’ bodies are expected to return tomorrow. “They will arrive wrapped in the Israeli flag and receive full honors and prayers,” Hirsch stated.

“The convoy will then proceed for identification.”

Hirsch said Israel remains in close contact with the families of foreign hostages.

A multinational task force comprising representatives from the United States, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey is ready to begin operations once the current phase of returns concludes.

“We hope to act quickly to return all kidnapped victims who are not located tomorrow,” Hirsch said. “Minister Dermer made it clear: the demand is 100% effort on the part of Hamas.”

According to Hirsch, Hamas has not yet submitted an official list of hostages, though Israel has provided its own detailed list categorizing living abductees, those confirmed dead, and those still unaccounted for.

He noted that Bipin Joshin and Tamir Nimrodi were not listed as deceased by Hamas.

“We have not yet reached an argument with Hamas about whether they know or do not know that they are buried,” Hirsch added.

Benjamin NetanyahuHamashostages