The names of the 20 hostages expected to be released today, Sunday 12/10, have been published, following the Israel-Hamas agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza. The hostages will be freed today by Hamas between 7:00 p.m. and midnight Israel time. They are men aged between 20 and 38 years old, according to social media posts. Both sides, Israel and Hamas, declare they are ready to begin the hostage release.
🚨🎗️BREAKING: The hostages will be released today between 7:00 PM and midnight Israeli time. pic.twitter.com/FC9ovX1gsm
— Eli Afriat 🇮🇱🎗 (@EliAfriatISR) October 12, 2025
The unusual bargaining over the timing of Israeli hostage release
Earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal and BBC described an unusual bargaining process unfolding regarding the timing of the release of Israeli hostages still alive in Hamas hands. According to information, Hamas appeared to have conveyed to Israel that it could release some of the living Israeli hostages as early as today, asking in exchange for the release of some of the seven “high-profile” Palestinian prisoners – including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.
Sources cited by the British outlet explain that the formula for prisoner release specifies that those with the longest sentences will be among them, which applies to the 7 that Hamas is pushing for.
As the BBC reported, although Israel has conveyed from the beginning that these seven prisoners will not be released, Hamas appears to be satisfied with even the release of two of them.
Wall Street Journal: Hamas informed it can release 20 living Israeli hostages today
Hamas has informed Israel that it has 20 living hostages and is ready to begin their release as early as today, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The message, which the Palestinian organization allegedly sent through Arab mediators, marks, as the WSJ notes, the first time Hamas confirms it has 20 living Israeli captives.
“It also addresses uncertainty about whether Hamas would be able to quickly gather all living hostages, given its destroyed and fragmented state, and suggests a potentially accelerated timeline for their release,” the report adds.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Israel is prepared and ready for the immediate reception of all our hostages.”
According to the American newspaper, the Israeli military is preparing to receive the hostages as early as tonight, Sunday, although it continues to estimate that the handover is more likely to take place on Monday, when US President Donald Trump will visit Israel and Egypt.
Hamas also informed mediators and Israel that it does not know the location of some dead hostages and will have difficulty meeting the 72-hour deadline set by Trump’s plan for their delivery.
This situation appears to be accepted by Israeli intelligence services, acknowledging that more time will be needed to collect the bodies.
According to the same sources, a multinational task force is being created – with participation from Turkey, the US, Qatar and Egypt – to locate the bodies of Israeli hostages whose location is unknown.
