Israel and Hamas 'are locked in last-minute negotiations' over the release of hostages
Israel and Hamas are locked in last-minute negotiations over the release of hostages, it is understood.
Today's disputes have revolved around requests to free senior Hamas commanders as well as Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian prisoner, amid Donald Trump's peace deal to hand over hostages to Israel and end the conflict in Gaza.
It comes as families in Israel wait anxiously for the return of their loved ones expected to be released by Hamas within hours - bringing an end to their horrifying two-year ordeal that included starvation, torture and being forced to dig their own graves.
It is believed they will all be released at the same time and transported to the Red Cross in six to eight vehicles, after being held captive for 734 days.
But a new round of talks held today on the issue has caused uncertainty about whether there will be a delay in their return.
Israel said the Palestinian prisoners would only be freed after the 20 surviving hostages were given back on Monday.
Meanwhile, Hamas wants the release of seven Palestinian leaders, including Barghouti and Hamas commanders.
Israel already ruled out releasing Barghouti, who has been jailed for 23 years for his involvement in terror attacks in 2001 and 2002.
A large crowd gathers for the first aid trucks in Gaza after the ceasefire via the Karm Abu Salim Border Crossing in Khan Yunis, Gaza on October 12, 2025
This screengrab from a video released on August 1, 2025 by the armed wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas, shows Israeli hostage Evyatar David looking weak and malnourished
The Israeli hostages were expected to be released 'any moment now', US vice-president JD Vance said today.
But today's talks have cast a shadow of doubt on their release, The Telegraph first reported.
Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said earlier: 'Israel is ready... if a living hostage requires any urgent medical attention, they will be brought to a medical facility immediately.'
Donald Trump, who pushed to clinch the ceasefire deal, is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday morning. He will meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House.
He will then continue to Egypt, where the office of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has said he will co-chair a 'peace summit' attended by regional and international leaders.
Ms Bedrosian told reporters the deceased hostages would be placed in coffins, which will be draped with the Israeli flag, before being taken to a forensic institute for identification.
Shosh Bedrosian (pictured), a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said they expect the hostages to be released on Monday morning
A placard shows an image of slain hostage Idan Shtivi as people gather at 'Hostages Square' in Tel Aviv amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 12, 2025
A convoy of ambulances has been readied to meet the living captives with Soroka and Barzilai hospitals in southern Israel being placed on standby.
Ms Bedrosian said: 'Israel is prepared and is ready to immediately receive all of our hostages.
'The release of our hostages will begin early Monday morning. We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles without any sick displays by Hamas, the terror organisation.
'The hostages will then be driven to forces inside of Israeli controlled parts of Gaza and then transferred to the Re'im base in southern Israel, where they will then reunite with their families.'
Who are the Israeli hostages?
Twenty living Israeli hostages are due for release from captivity in Gaza under a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Militants kidnapped them during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the deadliest in the country's history.
Hostages thought to be alive:
Avinatan Or, 32
Dual British-Israeli national Avinatan Or hails from a religious Jewish family of seven children from the Shilo settlement in the occupied West Bank.
His partner Noa Argamani was abducted with him at Supernova, though she was freed in an Israeli military operation in June 2024.
He was planning to move in with her in Beersheva, where he studied engineering.
Gali and Ziv Berman, 28
The Berman twins were abducted in the youth area of the Kfar Aza kibbutz along with their British Israeli neighbour, Emily Damari, who has since been released. The trio are pictured together at a festival.
The inseparable brothers worked together in musical production. They support the Maccabi Tel Aviv and Liverpool football clubs. Their parents and their older brother survived the attack.
Matan Zangauker, 25
Matan Zangauker was kidnapped from his home in Nir Oz kibbutz with his Israeli-Mexican girlfriend Ilana Gritzewsky.
She was released in November 2023, during the first truce in the two-year war.
Along with Einav Zangauker, Matan's mother, Gritzewsky became a key figure in the campaign for the hostages.
Ariel Cunio, 28
Ariel Cunio was abducted in the attack on October 7.
His partner, Arbel Yehud, was freed in January 2025 under a deal that saw Hamas hand over 25 living and eight dead hostages amid a temporary ceasefire.
David Cunio, 35,
Ariel's brother David was also kidnapped from Nir Oz. David's wife Sharon Aloni Cunio and their twin daughters Ema and Yuly, then three, were among the 105 hostages released during a short ceasefire in November 2023
Matan Angrest, 22
Matan Angrest, a 22-year-old IDF soldier, was in a tank that was targeted near the Gaza perimeter fence on October 7.
This year, his family said they had been informed by released hostages that he was suffering chronic asthma, infections and untreated burns.
Nimrod Cohen, 21
Nimrod Cohen was working as an IDF soldier when his tank was targeted by Hamas at Nahal Oz.
Nimrod Cohen, an Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas
Omri Miran, 48
Omri Miran was taken from his home in Nahal Oz. His wife, Lishay, claimed she last saw her husband being driven away in his own car.
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24
Guye Gilboa-Dalal had attended the festival with his brother, Gal, before his abduction.
Alon Ohel, 24
Hamas footage showed Alon Ohel being taken away as a hostage from the Nova festival in October 2023.
Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25
Yosef-Chaim had attended the festival with a friend, who said they had stayed at the scene to help people escape the gunfire before fleeing themselves.
Elkana Bohbot, 36
Elkana was working at the Nova festival when he was abducted.
Eitan Mor, 25
Eitan Mor was a security guard at the festival. His father said his son saved dozens of people before being taken away by Hamas gunmen.
Eitan Mor was a security guard at the festival, who reportedly saved dozens of people before his abduction
Maxim Herkin, 37
Maxim attended the festival, and his two friends were among the 378 people killed in the attack.
Bar Kupershtein, 23
Bar was a member of staff at the festival and stayed behind during the attack to help treat those in need. He was later identified in a clip of hostages.
Segev Kalfon, 27
Segev was fleeing the festival with his friend when he was abducted by Hamas gunmen.
Evyatar David, 24
In August 2025, Hamas posted a clip of a weak Evyatar in a tunnel. The footage caused outrage in Israel and deep fear among the victim's family.
Rom Braslabski, 21
Rom was a security member at the festival. He was reportedly trying to help an injured person in the attack when he was caught up in the chaos.
Eitan Horn, 38
Eitan was kidnapped with his brother Yair from Nir Oz. Yair was freed in February 2025 during a ceasefire.
