Start of prisoner exchange process between Gaza Resistance and the Zionist regime

Coinciding with the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire on Monday, October 13, Hamas and the Zionist regime began exchanging Zionist prisoners and Palestinian detainees.

At the same time, Hamas officials have reported some obstructions by the Zionist regime in the prisoner exchange process.

(This story is being updated...)

Israeli army radio: No more living hostages in Hamas’ custody

Israel Army Radio announced that there are no longer any living hostages held by Hamas.

1,968 Palestinian prisoners to be freed today

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office announced that 1,968 prisoners will be released today under the third phase of the “Free People’s Storm” deal. Among them, 250 prisoners are serving life sentences or long-term sentences, and 1,718 were arrested in Gaza after October 7.

20 Israeli captives handed over to the Red Cross

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that 20 Israeli captives have been handed over to the Red Cross.

Second group of Israeli captives to be transferred

Red Cross vehicles have entered various parts of the Gaza Strip to collect the second group of Israeli captives.

According to local sources, Red Cross vehicles arrived in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza to begin the transfer process. Four Red Cross vehicles have been prepared to receive 13 Israeli captives from southern Gaza.

Reuters also confirmed that the second phase of the transfer of Israeli captives from southern Gaza has begun.

Al-Qassam’s psychological operation against the Zionists

In its latest psychological move against the Israeli occupiers, the Al-Qassam Brigades allowed living Israeli captives to speak by phone with their families before handing them over to the Red Cross.

Hamas: The occupiers failed to free their prisoners by force

Hamas Statement:

Twenty Israeli prisoners have been released as part of the first phase of Trump’s plan to halt the war in Gaza.

The occupiers failed to free their prisoners by force and were compelled to accept the resistance’s conditions and the prisoner exchange deal.

We made every effort to protect the occupiers’ captives while the enemy committed horrific crimes against our prisoners.

Al-Qassam: The agreement is the fruit of our people’s steadfastness and resistance

Al-Qassam Brigades Statement:

We affirm our commitment to the reached agreement and its timeline as long as the occupiers remain committed to it.

This agreement is the result of our people’s steadfastness and their resistance.
The resistance sought a cessation of the war of annihilation, but the enemy, due to its short-sighted calculations, obstructed all efforts.

Despite its intelligence superiority and overwhelming power, the enemy failed to free its captives through military pressure.

The enemy has surrendered and will free its captives through an exchange deal — just as the resistance had promised from the start.

The occupiers could have freed most of their captives alive months ago but continued to delay and refuse.

We tell our freed prisoners that Gaza and its resistance have offered their dearest sacrifices and made every effort to break your chains.

Possible release of Dr. Abu Safiya

Zionist media reported that among those detained in Gaza during the war and set to be released in this exchange is Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital. However, his release is not yet confirmed and will occur only if there are remaining slots in the list of released prisoners.

Buses moving to transfer Palestinian prisoners

Al Jazeera reported that Palestinian buses have departed from the Gaza Strip toward the Kerem Shalom crossing to transport the Palestinian prisoners due for release.
The correspondent of the Palestinian Information Center in Gaza also reported that Al-Qassam fighters have been deployed in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in preparation for the handover of Israeli captives.

The Prisoner exchange process according to Hamas

Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the movement remains committed to the agreed timetable set during the Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations for the release of Zionist captives, who will be freed today (Monday) under the deal.

Regarding the remains of deceased Israeli captives, Badran explained that due to the difficulty of locating some bodies, it is impossible to specify an exact time for their return.
As for the list of Palestinian prisoners, Badran said that Hamas had submitted a list of about 2,000 names, including 1,700 from Gaza. The list also featured prominent resistance leaders such as Marwan Barghouti, but the Zionist side refused to release many national figures, removing dozens of names from the list.

He emphasized that Hamas currently prioritizes achieving a ceasefire and ending the Zionist regime’s aggression and occupation in Gaza, as part of its broader goal to establish an independent Palestinian state.

A Palestinian source involved in the negotiations said a crisis had emerged when the Zionist regime refused to release many Palestinian prisoners, but measures were taken to prevent these deceptions from derailing the agreement.

Fate of deceased Israeli captives’ bodies according to U.S. media

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas informed Israel through mediators that it holds 20 living captives and will release them. The group also stated that it does not know the location of some deceased captives’ remains and might not be able to recover them within the 72-hour deadline set by Trump.

The paper added that Israeli intelligence also believes Hamas is unaware of the location of all bodies, and Israel itself acknowledged that the recovery of the deceased captives’ remains will likely take more time.

A joint multinational task force has been formed to locate the bodies of the deceased Israeli captives in Gaza, including members from Turkey, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

The Hebrew-language daily Maariv also reported that 200 U.S. soldiers — including engineering, security, and intelligence personnel — have arrived at an Israeli army base in the Lachish region. These troops received coordinates of the sites believed to contain the bodies of Israeli captives and have begun search operations alongside forces from Egypt and Qatar.