Hamas ready to release 20 living hostages today, ahead of Trump's arrival: Report

Hamas ready to hand over 20 living hostages ahead of Trump’s arrival

Hamas has said that it is ready to hand over the 20 living hostages today, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was ready to receive all hostages held in Gaza, ahead of their exchange on Monday for Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

"Israel is prepared and ready for the immediate reception of all our hostages," Netanyahu said in a statement issued on Sunday.

This contradicts Hamas's comments from earlier on Sunday that they would reportedly release all remaining hostages, living and deceased, by dawn on Monday, October 13, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post.

Hamas has reportedly begun to gather the living hostages in preparation for their handover to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is expected to start at around 6 a.m.

However, Hamas has yet to announce the location of the handover, and Israeli authorities currently do not indicate where the transfer will take place or whether there will be more than one handover site.

Leaders from 20 countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are set to attend the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday, October 13, to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza.

While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited, India will be represented at the summit by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who will be led by Trump and Sisi.