Israel says release of captives in Gaza to begin early on Monday
An Israeli government spokesperson says the release of captives held in Gaza is expected to begin early on Monday. All 20 living captives are to be freed at the same time, she said.
Israel is also preparing to receive the bodies of 28 other captives confirmed dead after the release on Monday morning.
The spokesperson added that the release of Palestinian prisoners will take place after the captives in Gaza have been received by Israel.
Monday to be a long, emotional day for all
Hamas will be releasing the living Israeli captives, as well as the bodies of Israeli captives it was able to retrieve. It will happen through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The captives will be taken to an Israeli military base inside Gaza, where they will receive their first medical checkup. They will then be transported to Israel, where they will be united with their families – and possibly meet US President Donald Trump.
As far as the Palestinians are concerned, it’s a bit more complicated. Some will be released to the occupied West Bank. The families of these prisoners have been warned: They cannot participate in any celebrations, receive well-wishers, or do media interviews. The timing is unclear, but it will take some time after the release of Israeli captives, so not before the afternoon.
It is Trump’s show. He will be arriving in Israel, meeting with the families of captives, addressing the Knesset, and then going to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh, where he has summoned the leaders of more than 20 countries.
There, he will sign his “peace in the Middle East plan” which talks about the region, not just Gaza. That’s important, because the Arab and Muslim partners he met with in New York told him that the key to peace in the Middle East, to changing the reality where Israel is waging war on seven fronts, starts with Gaza.
But it’s not just the ceasefire – it has to be about ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Gaza ministry announces amnesty for ‘criminal gangs’
The Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza says “some criminal gangs took advantage of the state of chaos during the war” by “attacking citizens’ property and stealing humanitarian aid”.
A statement on Telegram announced “amnesty for all those who joined these gangs but were not involved in committing murders”.
People who joined these groups are “requested to surrender themselves to the security services within a week, starting from the morning of Monday, October 13, 2025, until the end of Sunday, October 19, 2025”.
“This will allow their legal and security status to be settled and their files permanently closed,” the ministry said, warning anyone who refuses to surrender or continues to act against the law will face “firm action”.
