Tim Franks
Reporting from Petah Tikva, Israel

When the first hostages are released by Hamas in Gaza, they will be taken into Israel and several will be transferred by helicopter to the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva.

Dr Michal Steinman will take them up to the sixth floor, swipe open the glass door and see them reunite with their families after more than 700 days in captivity.

"It is a privilege," the head of nursing says. "These are the moments, when I'm 70 or 80, these are the two or three moments I will remember. They symbolise so many values – as a nurse, as a mother, as a woman, as an Israeli."

Twenty living hostages are due to be released under the terms of the agreement between Israel and Hamas.

It will be the third time that the hostages' unit has gone operational. The BBC visited the unit on Saturday, when the medical team learned the identities of the hostages they would be treating.

"There is no such field as captivity medicine, and we are inventing it," Dr Steinman told the BBC.

• Read more about the hospital preparing for freed Israeli hostages

Image source, Getty Images

Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, is preparing to receive some of the Palestinian prisoners expected to be freed in the coming hours, Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence says.

They will take in some of the 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,722 Gazans that Israel is expected to release as part of the ceasefire deal that came into effect on Friday.

Israel's prison service said yesterday that it had started preparing for the transfer, moving prisoners to the Ofer and Ketziot jails.

We don't yet know when the prisoners are expected to be released.

In our next post, we'll take a look at the preparations taking place in an Israeli hospital ahead of the release of the hostages.

Image source, EPA

As our Gaza affairs correspondent has just reported, aid trucks are entering Gaza and hundreds more are queueing at the border.

We're now seeing pictures of Palestinians crowding around aid convoys arriving in Khan Younis, Southern Gaza. The trucks arrived at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, before entering the territory, as part of the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on Friday.

Image source, Getty Images

In August, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in parts of the territory, including Gaza City.

Israel, however, rejects the IPC report, and its foreign affairs ministry says the conclusions are "based on Hamas lies". Israeli military aid body Cogat says the report ignores the "extensive humanitarian efforts undertaken in Gaza".

Speaking to the BBC earlier on Sunday, Unicef's James Elder says dozens of trucks have been seen entering Gaza - as these images show - but that this falls short of what is needed.

The UN estimates that at least 600 aid trucks are needed every day to start addressing Gaza's humanitarian crisis.

Image source, EPA

Adnan Elbursh
Gaza affairs correspondent, reporting from Doha

Image source, Getty Images

Hundreds of trucks carrying various types of aid are lining up to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom and Auja crossings, in the south of the Strip. This is part of the recent ceasefire agreement.

Egyptian sources confirmed that 400 trucks carrying various types of humanitarian aid moved into Gaza at 6:00 AM on Sunday from the Rafah crossing to the Kerem Shalom and Auja crossings, in preparation for their entry into Gaza.

Ninety trucks crossed from the Egyptian side to the Kerem Shalom and Auja crossings in the first hour.

Due to the large number of trucks expected to enter, this will be the first time, since March, humanitarian aid will be sent to the Auja crossing.

However, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) said on Sunday that their trucks have not yet participated in the distribution of the supplies.

The agency’s spokesperson told the BBC that it has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks of humanitarian aid in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt. “That includes enough food for the entire population of the Gaza Strip for two to three months. We have been unable to bring anything in since the beginning of March,” Jonathan Fowler, UNRWA spokesperson said.

Moreover, co-ordination is now underway with all parties to open the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side on Tuesday, to allow the entry of wounded, injured, and sick Palestinians arriving from Gaza, according to Egyptian sources.

It will also cover individuals including Palestinians, foreigners, dual nationals, and those stranded in Egypt, the sources added.

• Note: This post has been updated to reflect that no Unrwa aid trucks have yet entered Gaza

Image source, Getty Images

Hamas are due to release all Israeli hostages as part of a ceasefire deal brokered in part by US President Donald Trump.

The exact timing of the release remains unclear, but we've been hearing from Israel, Hamas and the US - here's what you need to know:

When is the deadline?

Hamas have until 12:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Monday to release the hostages.

What has Israel said?

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian says Israel is expecting all 20 living hostages to be released together to the Red Cross early on Monday morning, they will then be transferred into Israel.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is ready to receive the hostages.

What we've heard from Gaza

Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence says it has finished counting the living Israeli hostages and has transferred them to different locations ahead of the release.

Hamas is still pushing for the release of seven high-profile prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, sources tell the BBC. They say that if even two of these seven are released, they will release all the remaining hostages today.

And, the United States?

Vice-President JD Vance told Meet the Press on NBC that the hostages would be released "any moment now".

He adds that President Trump will greet those released by Hamas when he arrives in Israel tomorrow.

We've just seen the latest daily update from the Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry about the total number of people killed as a result of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

The ministry says the overall total number of dead has risen to 67,806 - and 170,066 people injured - since 7 October 2023.

The sharp increase in the last few days is due to more bodies being recovered as Palestinians return to areas that have been under Israeli control.

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Jerusalem

For families of the 48 living and dead hostages due to be returned to Israel, it is a time of anxious waiting.

Rotem Cooper tells me the return of his father Amiram’s body will allow his family to begin the process of mourning.

For now, he is “sitting tight”, hoping that it will all go to plan.

“Everybody is on edge, wanting to make sure that none of the sides are breaking the agreement in any way. Everybody is worried that Hamas might be saying it can’t locate [their loved one],” he told me over the phone. “We’re just waiting. We’re inside this window now. We’re feeling cautiously optimistic.”

Rotem said the “most we [his family] can hope for is a burial. That’s going to be a thing by itself, but let’s get there first.”

His parents were both taken hostage from their kibbutz in the 7 October 2023 attacks. His mother was released back to Israel later that month, while his father Amiram was killed in captivity.

Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence says it has finished counting the living Israeli hostages. It adds that they have been sent to locations in the territory in preparation for their release.

In post on Telegram, in Arabic, it says the handover of hostages will take place at three different places in the Strip.

It adds it is working to reach an agreement on the final list of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

The BBC understands Hamas is pushing for the list to include some high-profile Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences in Israeli jails - including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sadaat.

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

Image source, Reuters

US flags are already flying around Israel’s parliament ahead of President Donald Trump’s expected arrival here tomorrow. But the anxious wait for the return of the Israeli hostages continues.

It’s believed 20 of the 48 still held in Gaza are alive. Under the deal, which Trump’s team helped to broker, nearly 2,000 detainees in Gaza and around 250 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are to be released in exchange.

They include 1,700 Gazans detained during the war - most without charge - and 250 serving lengthy sentences in Israeli jails.

On that list, Hamas is demanding that Israel sticks to the agreement that it says they reached, and release at least two of the seven prominent prisoners it’s been demanding.

In Gaza, the fragile ceasefire is allowing more urgently needed aid to be transported in.

Under the terms of the deal, 600 lorryloads should be allowed each day. And the UN is now urging Israel to open all crossing points to the Palestinian territory.

BBC Arabic's Middle East Lifeline programme has been hearing from children in Gaza about how they're feeling after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday.

Twelve-year-old Sara says she was "very happy" when the ceasefire was announced, but she is now worried about not being able to go back to school.

"Houses and schools, where we can learn, no longer exist in Gaza," she says.

Tala, who is only nine, says she is also happy about the ceasefire but the weight of the war's horrors weigh heavy on her mind.

"I saw nothing but people dying," she says.

Mallory Moench
Live reporter

Image source, Eyal Nouri

"The news about a potential ceasefire and the return of the hostages is, of course, a source of immense anxiety, but today, we are full of hope," Eyal Nouri tells me.

Her aunt, Adina Moshe, saw her husband killed by Hamas in Israel on 7 October 2023 before she was taken hostage to Gaza. The 72-year-old was later released in a week-long ceasefire in November 2023.

On Saturday night, Nouri stood on stage with the families of other former and current hostages at a rally in Tel Aviv attended by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner - President Donald Trump's daughter and son-in-law.

Nouri says "seeing the massive crowd created an unbelievable surge of confidence and support".

"It truly feels like a turning point, and there is a powerful sense here that this time; we are really going to see the hostages coming home," Nouri says.

Image source, Getty Images

The cousin of Israeli hostage Tel Haimi, who was killed on 7 October and taken by Hamas into Gaza, says he met US special envoy Steve Witkoff after he spoke at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv last night.

"He completely understands the significance of bringing all 48 [hostages] back home," Udi Goren says of Witkoff.

He adds, however, that many are asking why American officials have had to play such a big role in securing the release of hostages.

"Why last night were there three people... very high-ranking in the Trump administration speaking on the stage in Hostages Square rather than someone from the Israeli government," he says on BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend.

While he addressed the crowd in Tel Aviv, Witkoff was flanked by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump.

He says he doesn't think the Israeli government prioritised the release of the hostages over the last two years. But now, "finally, they are being prioritised".

More now from US Vice-President JD Vance, who has told NBC's Meet The Press that when President Trump visits Israel on Monday morning, he plans to greet the hostages after Hamas has released them from Gaza.

"You can’t say exactly the moment they will be released, but we have every expectation... that he will be greeting the hostages," Vance says.

We're hearing now from Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian at a news conference in Tel Aviv.

She tells the media that we are hours away from the release "of all our hostages".

Israel has been ready "since Saturday night to receive our hostages", she says.

Bedrosian adds that Hamas could have released the hostages two years ago.

She says Israel is expecting all 20 living hostages to be released to the Red Cross early Monday morning. They will then be transferred across the border into Israel and taken to Re'im military base.

The bodies of the deceased hostages will be placed in coffins draped with Israeli flags and brought to a forensic institute for identification.

We've just had an update from US Vice-President JD Vance, who tells NBC's Meet the Press that the hostages will be released from Gaza "any moment now".

• A reminder, Hamas has until 12:00 local time on Monday (10:00 BST) to release the Israeli hostages.

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining us, or are in need of a quick summary, here's what's been happening so far today:

• The BBC understands that Hamas is pushing for last-minute changes to the list of Palestinian prisoners set to be released by Israel as part of the ceasefire deal
• A new round of talks began at 10:30 local time (08:30 BST), a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations tells the BBC, with Hamas pushing for the release of seven high-profile prisoners
• Meanwhile, dozens of aid trucks have been seen crossing into southern Gaza at its border with Egypt. Aid is due to be scaled up as part of the ceasefire deal
• However, a Unicef spokesperson says the amount of aid entering Gaza still falls short of what is needed

• Elsewhere, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are preparing to destroy Hamas tunnels in Gaza, Israel's defence minister has said
• Thousands of Palestinians have been travelling up Gaza's coastal highway to return to their flattened homes
• A spokesperson for Egypt's president has said more than 20 countries are expected to be in attendance at tomorrow's international peace summit in Egypt, led by US President Trump

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has just addressed the media standing among families of hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023.

He says that Israel is waiting "anxiously" for the remaining 48 hostages to be returned. "We are with the families of hostages at large," and those who have died, he says.

Herzog adds that Hamas is under a "full obligation" to release all of the hostages, and says Israel will "meticulously follow up" to ensure they are all freed.

Turning to Trump, the Israeli president says that his American counterpart will be received by "masses of Israelis with gratitude and friendship". He says that Israelis admire the US president's leadership to return the hostages.

• As a reminder, Donald Trump is expected to visit Israel on Monday before heading to Egypt, where he will co-lead an international peace summit

Tomorrow, Herzog adds, "we will shed tears and receive our sons and daughters back home."

We've just received new comments from the Israeli prime minister's office.

Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken to Gal Hirsch, the Israeli government's hostage co-ordinator, according to an update from his office.

Netanyahu says that Israel is "prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our abductees".

• For context, there's no precise time set for the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, but Hamas has until 12:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Monday to free them

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel has agreed to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences as well as 1,722 detainees from Gaza who were arrested after 7 October, 2023 - this includes nearly two dozen children.

Israel's prison service said yesterday that it had started preparing for the transfer, moving prisoners to the Ofer and Ketziot jails.

We don't yet know when the prisoners are expected to be released, but it will follow the release of the 48 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.

The families of the prisoners have been called and warned against celebrating, the IDF says.

Raed Abu Al-Hummus, who is the head of a commission that monitors the welfare of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, tells the BBC he is "shocked" by some of the names on the list.

Al-Hummus says not all those included on the list appear to be serving life sentences - he suggests some have been sentenced to administrative detention for three and six months.

Image source, Getty Images

As we've just reported, Hamas is still pushing for the release of seven high-profile Palestinian prisoners from Israel, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.

Barghouti is serving five life sentences plus 40 years after being convicted in 2004 of planning attacks that led to four Israelis and a Greek monk being killed.

Opinion polls have consistently indicated that he remains the most popular Palestinian leader, and that Palestinians would vote for him in a presidential election ahead of the current Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas or Hamas leaders.

Barghouti remains a senior figure in the Fatah faction that dominates the PA, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank not under Israeli control.

Image source, AFP/GettyImages

Ahmad Sadaat is the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which also has a faction in the PA.

Sadaat was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted in 2008 of heading an "illegal terrorist organisation" and involvement in attacks, including the assassination of an Israeli minister in 2001.

• Hamas presses Israel to free prominent prisoners as part of Gaza deal