Report: Hamas ready to return all 20 hostages on Sunday – on one condition

Hamas has reportedly located all 20 living Israeli hostages and prepared them for their return to Israel, potentially paving the way for an early handover. 

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization has located all 20 living Israeli hostages and is prepared to return them to Israel by Sunday night, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

The report cited multiple anonymous sources who said that Hamas has notified Israel, via Arab intermediaries, that the terror group can return all the living hostages to Israel ahead of schedule, prior to President Donald Trump’s arrival in Israel Monday morning.

Under the terms of phase one of the peace deal reached last week, Hamas must return all 48 hostages – including 20 living captives and the remains of 28 dead hostages – within 72 hours of the start of the truce and the withdrawal of the IDF from roughly one-quarter of the Gaza Strip.

The IDF announced at 1:00 p.m. on Friday that it had completed its withdrawal to the “yellow line,” in keeping with the truce agreement, starting a three-day countdown for Hamas to hand over all 48 hostages.

On Sunday, the terror group announced that it would transfer the hostages to Israel at 6:00 a.m. on Monday.

However, according to the Journal report, Hamas is pushing to move up the timing of the hostages’ return to Sunday night.

The report did not offer any specific timetable drawn up by Hamas.

Multiple Israeli officials were cited in Hebrew media reports Sunday afternoon confirming that Hamas has proposed a Sunday night hostage return.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the Journal report Sunday afternoon, saying that Israel is prepared to receive the hostages “immediately.”

“Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said after consulting with Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch.

Later on Sunday, however, the BBC published a report, citing a Palestinian official, that Hamas has conditioned its offer to release the hostages early on Israel agreeing to release two of the seven high-profile terrorists Hamas has requested.

Trump is slated to arrive in Israel just after the 6:00 a.m. hostage return on Monday.

According to a schedule published on Sunday, Air Force One will touch down at Ben Gurion International Airport at 9:20 a.m.

Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog are expected to greet Trump on the tarmac upon his arrival, with Netanyahu hosting Trump at his office in the Knesset building at 10:15.

At 10:45, Netanyahu and Trump will meet with hostage families at the Knesset.

Fifteen minutes later, the Knesset will hold a special gathering in the plenum, with addresses by Trump, Netanyahu, and Opposition leader Yair Lapid.