IDF readies to receive hostages returning from Gaza

The Israeli government approved the hostage deal at 1 a.m. on Saturday after over seven hours of debate, Walla reported.

Twenty-four ministers voted in favor, and eight ministers voted against.

The State Attorney's Office, which represents the Israeli government, rejected the petition submitted to the High Court of Justice by those opposing the implementation of the hostage deal.

The petition was submitted by the organization We Chose Life, which represents families of victims of terror.

While there "are no good deals," Israel is "right to proceed with this deal," Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar reportedly said in a cabinet meeting on Friday night, N12 revealed on Saturday.

Bar told ministers to approve the deal during the deliberation meeting on Friday, which culminated in Israel choosing to accept.

"Hamas is a terror organization that has suffered severe blows and is in shambles," Bar said, adding that "Israel is a strong state."

"Personally, as someone who heads a counterintelligence organization, we are well used to arresting and thwarting terrorists," Bar said, adding that some of the Palestinian prisoners being exchanged for hostages starting Sunday he arrested himself.

"We have a very difficult time releasing terrorists and murderers," he continued.

Released Palestinian prisoners react from inside a vehicle after leaving the Israeli military prison, Ofer, amid a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, near Ramallah, November 26, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)

"Israel, even with a difficult deal, is a strong country - it was right to go for this deal."

"There are no good deals," he concluded.

Mossad chief David Barnea expressed similar views, telling the cabinet that it is "a bad deal, but there is no choice," according to Ynet.

"We must pay this moral debt," he added. "This deal is morally, ethically and humanly correct. It has leverage to continue if Hamas does not fulfill its part. Our mission is to return everyone home and we will not stop until we achieve our goal." 

Release of terrorists

At a security cabinet meeting on Friday, Bar told ministers that “82% of those released in the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011 returned to terrorism,” and that 15% of them carried out attacks themselves after their release in the deal, or planned the attacks.

He also said that the current release of terrorists is expected to increase the motivation to carry out attacks in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.

According to N12, the National Security Council chair Tzachi Hanegbi also spoke at the meeting, saying that the government should "weight pain against pain: the pain of bereaved families against the pain of hostage families and their fears for the lives of their loved ones."

Otzma Yehudit said the deal was "surrendering to Hamas," and that it would resign from the government.

An Israeli delegation reportedly arrived in Cairo on Saturday night to examine the implementation of the hostage deal designed to go into effect the following morning, KAN reported.

Demonstrations were held across Israel on Saturday night to encourage the government not to abandon the hostage deal that will go into effect the following morning.

Many demonstrators were seen marking the second birthday of the youngest hostage, Kfir Bibas, who has now spent both of his birthdays in Hamas captivity.

One notable demonstration took place at the Hostages' Square in Tel Aviv, and another took place at the Begin Gate near the IDF military headquarters.

US President-elect Donald Trump told NBC News Saturday that he had encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the hostage deal: “Just keep doing what you have to do. You have to have — this has to end. We want it to end, but to keep doing what has to be done.”

When asked how confident he was that the hostages would be released, Trump said,  “Well, we’re going to see very soon, and it better hold.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a statement to the nation on Saturday night amid the beginning of the implementation of the hostage deal's first phase.

Israelis reacted with fierce joy and immense trepidation to reports of an imminent hostage deal that would begin to bring the 98 captives still held by Hamas home as early as Sunday. Many months of fearing for the hostages and fighting to bring them home have made their fate a deeply personal issue for an entire country.

The euphoria surrounding their release and sense of closeness to them are natural but also pose pitfalls that we should be aware of, Hostage Debriefing Team Leader Glenn Cohen told The Jerusalem Post this weekend.

Romi Gonen was 23 when Hamas abducted her from the Nova Music Festival after being shot by the invading terrorists on October 7 2023. Now, over a year later, she is expected to be freed in a hostage-ceasefire deal.

The IDF noted the importance of the 8:30 a.m. ceasefire, which goes into effect Sunday morning.

According to the military, it is prepared for the intake of three female hostages as of Sunday night.

Next, on Saturday night, the IDF published maps and rules for where Palestinians can move around in this transition period at the start of Phase I of the ceasefire and where they cannot move around.