When Hamas-led Palestinian fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and took about 250 people captive, it set in motion an issue that instantly became vital to much of Israeli society.
The captives immediately became a symbol for Israelis, used to justify Israel’s brutal war on Gaza – which has now killed more than 46,800 Palestinians. But the topic has also divided Israelis, with many, particularly those supportive of the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting that the government has not done enough to secure a deal that would lead to their release.
Now that a ceasefire deal has been agreed upon, the nightmare of captivity could be about to end for those held in Gaza.
How many captives will be released from Gaza?
Approximately 100 Israeli captives are believed to be left in Gaza, all of whom are expected to be released if the deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas is fully implemented.
But not all will be released at once. In the first six-week phase of the deal, 33 captives are expected to be released gradually in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The Israeli captives to be released in this phase include some who are ill or wounded, as well as female soldiers and men aged above 50.
Egypt has said those released in the first phase will be exchanged for 1,890 Palestinian prisoners. Israel has said it will release 95 Palestinians, all women and children, on the first day of the ceasefire on Sunday.
The rest of the captives, all believed to be male soldiers, will be released in later phases of the ceasefire deal in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
What do we know about the identities of the captives being released?
Hamas on Sunday released the names of three Israeli captives to be freed on the first day of the ceasefire. The Palestinian group has handed over their names – Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 – to the mediators.
Israel’s prime minister’s office confirmed receiving the list of the captives, adding that ceasefire will now begin at 11: 15am local time (09: 15G) after a delay of three hours.
The list of other Israeli captives to be released in the first phase has still not been published yet, and while the identities of the captives still in Gaza are known, it is unclear who is still alive.
On Saturday, Netanyahu had warned that the ceasefire would not begin until Israel received the list of the captives.
Hamas has said several captives have been killed in Israeli attacks on the locations where they had been held, but videos have al