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<h1 class="gmail-">Israel prepares to receive captives as Hamas
insists on release of \u2018high-profile\u2019 prisoners</h1>
<p class="gmail-">Among the prisoners Hamas is pushing for is
Fatah\u2019s Marwan Barghouti, who has been rejected by both Tel
Aviv and Ramallah </p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(84,88,94)">OCT 12, 2025 -<font
size="1"> </font></span><font size="1"><a
href="https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-prepares-to-receive-captives-as-hamas-insists-on-release-of-high-profile-prisoners"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-prepares-to-receive-captives-as-hamas-insists-on-release-of-high-profile-prisoners</a></font></p>
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<p>Unnamed Israeli officials cited in Hebrew media on 12
October confirmed a report that Hamas is offering an
earlier release of captives, possibly in the following
hours. </p>
<p>According to the Israeli media reports, Hamas is
hoping to complete the process before the arrival of
US President Donald Trump on Monday.</p>
<p>A defense ministry official cited by <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/return-of-hostages-still-expected-tomorrow-morning-defense-source-says/"
moz-do-not-send="true"><i>Times of Israel</i></a>,
however, said \u201cat this stage, there is no change in
the intelligence assessment.\u201d</p>
<p>\u201cThe IDF is prepared for any developments regarding
receiving the hostages,\u201d the source added. The
exchange had initially been set for Monday morning. </p>
<p>\u201cIsrael is ready and prepared for the immediate
reception of all our hostages. The IDF has completed
its preparations for the release of the hostages and
assesses that all of them will be released before
Trump\u2019s arrival,\u201d Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s
office said on 12 October.</p>
<p>An Israeli government spokesman said Tel Aviv expects
the release of all 20 living captives in one go,
starting Monday morning, adding that Israel is also
preparing to receive 28 deceased captives.</p>
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class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered"
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<p>Sources told Al-Arabiya that Hamas\u2019s Qassam Brigades
will release the bodies of a number of dead captives
on Monday night. The <a
href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-says-its-ready-to-hand-over-20-living-israeli-hostages-8bf40741"
moz-do-not-send="true"><i>Wall Street Journal</i> </a>(WSJ)
reported earlier on Sunday that Hamas has confirmed 20
captives are alive and could be released as early as
the evening of 12 October. </p>
<p>The message was reportedly relayed by Arab mediators.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has confirmed that
authorities in the strip are preparing to receive
around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday. <br>
A spokesperson for Netanyahu's office has denied the
possibility of a prisoner exchange taking place on
Sunday instead of Monday.</p>
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<p>However, Israel has rejected Hamas\u2019s demands for the
release of several high-profile prisoners, including
Fatah-affiliated leader and architect of the Second
Intifada, Marwan Barghouti, Secretary-General of the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Ahmad Saadat, and senior Hamas commander Hassan
Salameh. </p>
<p>In a last-minute move, Israel removed 11 names of
Fatah-linked prisoners from the release list and
replaced them with 11 Hamas prisoners.</p>
<p><a href="https://t.me/thecradlemedia/44015"
moz-do-not-send="true">According</a> to the BBC,
Hamas is still pushing for the release of Barghouti
and Saadat in ongoing negotiations on Sunday, as well
as other high-profile prisoners with long sentences,
in exchange for an earlier release of captives. </p>
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style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div>
<p>The report said Hamas is willing to release the
captives on Sunday if even two of these high-profile
prisoners are included. Previous Israeli reports said
the Palestinian Authority (PA) is pressing hard to
prevent Barghouti\u2019s release.</p>
<p>The current talks are also focusing on the timing and
logistics for the release of 20 living captives and
the return of the bodies of those who are deceased. </p>
<p>Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is
pushing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make
last-minute changes to the release list, his spokesman
announced. Ben Gvir is demanding the deportation of
prisoners convicted of attacks on Israelis, rather
than their release to the occupied West Bank. </p>
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