Prisoner exchange deal set to begin Sunday: A breakdown of the phases

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

A total of 98 individuals are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, held by Hamas and other Palestinian factions, according to Israeli accounts and the organization Hostage Aid. Of these, 60 are reportedly alive, while 38 have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to Hamas. 

However, Hamas has not disclosed the exact number of hostages it still holds. Early in the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, Hamas claimed to have approximately 200 hostages, with an additional 50 held by other factions.  

Among the 98 hostages, 64 are Israeli citizens, while the remaining 34 hold dual or foreign nationalities. 

These include three from the United States, one from Austria, one from Serbia, six from Germany, three with dual German-Argentinian citizenship, nine from Thailand, one from Nepal, two from Argentina, one from Colombia, two from Russia, one with dual Russian-Ukrainian citizenship, one with dual French-Portuguese citizenship, one from Poland, one from Hungary, and one from the United Kingdom.  

Negotiations for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire are reportedly nearing completion, with implementation expected to begin on Sunday. 

The agreement includes three phases. 

In the first phase, 33 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, including women and children, will be released in exchange for approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners from a similar age range. 

U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz states this phase is critical to ensuring humanitarian progress.  

The second phase involves the release of remaining male Israeli hostages in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners per individual, as per preliminary agreements that are still under negotiation. A source close to Hamas disclosed this information to LBCI.  

The final phase will focus on the exchange of bodies of deceased hostages between the two sides.  

The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed its readiness to oversee the logistical execution of the exchange, provided that all parties guarantee the safety and effectiveness of its teams.  

As the deal materializes, attention is shifting to the potential impact on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political standing. The anticipated transfer of deceased Israeli hostages from Gaza is expected to dominate public and political discourse in Israel, further intensifying scrutiny of his leadership.