Hebrew media: Gaza deal will be implemented on Sunday as planned, with first hostages to be released at 4 p.m.

The implementation of a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas signed in Doha last night will begin as planned on Sunday and will not be delayed due to the timing of Israeli government meetings, according to Hebrew media reports.

Channel 12 news reports that the first hostage release, in which three women kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, are expected to be released from captivity in Gaza, will go ahead on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The deal, announced by mediators on Wednesday, is currently scheduled to take effect on Sunday at 12:15 p.m.

Previous reports had indicated that the delay of the full cabinet meeting to Saturday evening would mean the 24-hour grace period for filing petitions against the deal would only conclude late Sunday, meaning the deal wouldn’t come into place until Monday.

The Ynet news site reports that the Prime Minister’s Office has informed relatives of hostages held in Gaza that the list of Palestinian security prisoners slated for release in the deal will be released after this morning’s cabinet meeting.

Ynet quotes an anonymous source as saying, “We’re doing everything we can to start the deal as early as Sunday, even in the evening, but it is not certain that we will have time.”