Media: Hamas may hand over 20 hostages to Israel as early as October 12

Palestinian group Hamas is prepared to hand over 20 hostages to Israeli authorities as early as October 12, although there is a possibility that this timeline could be delayed, Report informs via The Wall Street Journal.

According to the information, Hamas sent a message to Israel via Arab mediators expressing its readiness to release the hostages. Furthermore, the group confirmed for the first time that it is holding 20 Israelis, the newspaper notes.

Israeli military forces are preparing to receive the hostages as early as Sunday evening, although the transfer may take place on October 13, when US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Israel and Egypt, the paper adds. According to the Israeli government's estimates, up to 20 Israelis remain in the Gaza Strip, along with the bodies of approximately 28 hostages.

Hamas stated that it does not know the whereabouts of some of the hostages' bodies and that it may have difficulty meeting the 72-hour deadline set by Trump's plan for their transfer. Israel has also acknowledged that locating the bodies may take significantly more time. In this regard, according to WSJ sources, a joint international team is being formed to search for the bodies of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. This team will include representatives from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Türkiye.