Israel has grouped Palestinian prisoners set to be released in hostage swap

Israeli authorities have gathered in two prisons the Palestinian political detainees set to be released in exchange for the hostages in Gaza, as planned under the U.S.-brokered cease-fire negotiated with Hamas under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump, the prison administration said Saturday.

"Prisoners classified as security prisoners have been transferred to the expulsion centers at Ofer Prison [in the occupied West Bank, Ed.] and Ktziot [in southern Israel], pending instructions from political authorities and further operations to enable the return of the hostages to Israel," the administration said in a statement.

Under the terms of the agreement, the 48 hostages or remains of hostages still in Gaza are to be returned to Israel by Monday at 9 a.m. GMT.

In exchange, Israel must release 250 so-called "security prisoners" and 1,700 Palestinians arrested by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in Oct. 2023.