13 Israeli hostages to be released on Sunday: Israeli media

JERUSALEM

Israel on Sunday announced that it had received a list of names of the third batch of Israeli hostages scheduled to be released from the Gaza Strip later on Sunday.

“A list of the hostages due to be released today (Sunday, 26 November 2023) in continuation of the outline has been received,” the Office of Prime Minister said in a statement on X.

The statement said, “Security officials are checking the list,” adding: “The information has been conveyed to the hostages' families; we request that the media exercise appropriate caution.”

Netanyahu's office did not specify the number of Israeli hostages who would be included in the third batch of the swap deal, Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported, quoting an unnamed Israeli source, saying that "the list included 13 names."

“Israeli estimates indicate that there are more than 200 Israeli prisoners in Gaza,” the newspaper said.

There was no comment from Hamas on the third batch.

Separately, local television reported that the Israeli Prison Service received, on Sunday, a list of the names of 39 Palestinian prisoners to be released later Sunday as part of the third exchange.

“The list of the 39 Palestinian prisoners who will be released on Sunday has been sent to the Prison Service, which has begun their examination,” Israeli Channel 13 reported.

A Qatari-mediated four-day humanitarian pause took effect Friday, temporarily halting Israeli attacks on Gaza.

In the first two days of the pause, Israel and Hamas swapped 41 Israelis and foreigners for 78 Palestinians from Israeli jails in the two batches of a swap.

Under the agreement, the hostages and prisoners will be released in batches during the course of four days.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

It has since killed at least 14,854 Palestinians, including 6,150 children and over 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave. The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi