Hamas releases all living Israeli captives held in Gaza

Hamas on Monday began releasing living Israeli captives as part of a deal to end the war in Gaza and facilitate a prisoner exchange.

Earlier, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, handed over seven Israeli captives to the International Red Cross.

Israeli armed forces confirmed that they have received the remaining 13 captives released by Hamas.

Meanwhile, Israeli Television footage showed two buses believed to be carrying Palestinian abductees and Red Cross vehicles leaving Ofer prison.

While Hamas has released all 20 remaining living captives held in Gaza, the timing of when bodies of the 28 captives declared dead will be released remains unclear.

According to live footage, buses carrying some of the Palestinian abductees arrived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Earlier, buses carrying released prisoners also moved from Negev Prison in southern Occupied Territories to Gaza.

Footage also showed vehicles carrying Palestinian abductees being surrounded by crowds of Palestinian people filming the scenes on their phones while others are holding Palestinian flags.

The first of 38 buses carrying Palestinian abductees released from Israeli prisons has reportedly crossed into Gaza.

The process of handover of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners is as part of a ceasefire agreement reached between the resistance movement Hamas and the Israeli regime.

About 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released in exchange for the Israeli captives in Gaza.

Among them are 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza. Another 250 prisoners are serving life or long sentences. Of those, 135 will be deported to Gaza or exiled abroad, 100 are expected to be sent to the occupied West Bank, and 15 will be released in occupied al-Quds.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) has announced the names of 1,718 Palestinians scheduled for release from Israeli prisons as part of the ongoing exchange agreement.