'Israeli' media: Red Cross visits captives in Gaza ahead of Monday’s prisoner exchange
Hebrew media reported that Red Cross teams were able, on Sunday evening, to visit those held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, just a few hours before the scheduled start of the prisoner exchange operation on Monday morning.
It was noted that some of the captives are in critical health conditions.
The visit, which came in response to repeated requests from the families of the captives and the international community, is expected to facilitate the final arrangements for their release. The confirmation of critical cases also adds additional pressure on all parties to ensure that the first phase of the deal proceeds smoothly and without obstacles.
Meanwhile, logistical preparations for the exchange operation have entered their final stages on the other side of the border. Families of the detainees have received official instructions from the relevant authorities to go to the designated reception area at the Re’im military base, adjacent to the Gaza Strip, early Monday morning, specifically by 7:30 a.m., in preparation to receive their relatives.
The Israeli army has raised its alert level to the highest, confirming its full readiness to move immediately to receive the detainees and transfer them to prepared medical centers. Military sources indicated that the forces are capable of completing the handover within just one hour of receiving the final go-ahead to start the operation.
This operation is part of the implementation of the first phase of the “Trump Plan,” agreed upon in the Sharm El-Sheikh negotiations, which calls for a full ceasefire in exchange for a prisoner swap between Hamas-held detainees and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, along with an immediate and unconditional flow of humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip.
It is noted that U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Israel to deliver a speech to the Knesset and then travel to Sharm El-Sheikh to participate in the peace conference, which includes participation from 20 countries.
