In a statement on Monday, the Palestinian Resistance movement, Hamas, announced that the al-Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip will release 20 Israeli captives as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which took effect on October 9. 

In an official statement, the movement affirmed its commitment to honoring the terms of the agreement, emphasizing the role of mediators in compelling the Zionist entity to fulfill its obligations and implement the deal in full.

#WATCH | Red Cross convoys enter #KhanYounis, #Gaza, to receive Israeli captives scheduled to be handed over in the second batch of the exchange deal.#GazaCeasefire pic.twitter.com/mOmZgwdG2h

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 13, 2025

The statement highlighted the failure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military, after two years of a brutal war of extermination, to forcibly recover their captives. Hamas stressed that the occupation was ultimately forced to accept the resistance’s conditions, reiterating that the only path to returning their soldiers was through a negotiated exchange and a complete halt to the aggression.

Resistance commits to protecting captives amid attacks

The movement emphasized that the resistance made every effort to preserve the lives of the captives, despite ongoing attempts by what it described as the "war criminal Netanyahu and his terrorist army" to target and eliminate them. In contrast, the statement pointed out that Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are subjected to systematic abuse, torture, and murder.

"هذا المهرجان الوطني يثبت أن الفلسطيني موجود وهو يقاتل ويفاوض وأن المعركة لم تنته هنا ولن تنتهي"

أستاذ العلوم السياسية في الجامعة العربية الامريكية د. أيمن يوسف لـ #الميادين#فلسطين_المحتلة#غزة_أسطورة_الصمود pic.twitter.com/4qI3xNJJum

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 13, 2025

Hamas further stated that the liberation of its "heroic detainees," many of whom are serving life or long-term sentences and have spent decades behind bars, is the result of the Gaza Strip’s resilience and the bravery of the Resistance. It described the exchange as a fulfillment of the Resistance’s promise to its people and prisoners, and a reflection of an unbreakable will for freedom in the face of “neo-Nazi brutality.”

The movement reaffirmed that the prisoners’ cause remains a national priority and vowed that the Palestinian people would not rest until every prisoner is freed and the occupation is dismantled.

Prisoner exchange begins in first leg of Gaza ceasefire plan

On the ground, Israeli media outlets reported that seven Israeli captives released by Hamas under the first phase of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and are reportedly in good condition.

Earlier this morning, the Israeli army stated that ICRC vehicles arrived at an agreed-upon location in the northern Gaza Strip to receive the released captives. This development comes after days of ongoing negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. Moreover, Red Cross buses also headed to Gaza's Khan Younis to receive the second batch of Israeli captives.

The Israeli military confirmed its readiness to receive the additional captives, stating that more captives were expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later in the day.