Families and supporters of Israeli hostages kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas gather to demand a deal that will bring back all the hostages held in Gaza, outside a meeting between hostage representatives and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, Jan. 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

As Israel prepares for the fifth wave of hostages to be released under the recently brokered ceasefire with Hamas on Saturday, the nation remains vigilant against potential violations by the Palestinian terrorist group.

A significant aspect of the ceasefire agreement involves the IDF’s planned withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor, a strategic area that bisects the Gaza Strip. If the process proceeds without incident, the military intends to complete this withdrawal by Sunday, signaling a step toward de-escalation.

However, the Israeli military on Friday said that it had bolstered its presence at key points within the Gaza Strip. The Southern Command’s leadership has conducted multiple field assessments alongside frontline soldiers to ensure readiness for any unforeseen developments during the hostage transfer process.

Israel’s defense ministry said that any violation of the agreement will be dealt with severely.

Hamas claimed that Israel had not fulfilled its side of the deal in transferring humanitarian aid, but Israel denied the claim, saying that 12,600 trucks of aid had arrived in Gaza since the beginning of the deal’s implementation on Jan. 19.

Israel was slated to receive the list of hostages scheduled for release in the fifth wave on Friday, but Hamas delayed announcing the names of the three Israelis due to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners mostly detained for terrorist activity.

Unlike previous exchanges, Hamas has not committed to a specific category of hostages for this round, adding a layer of uncertainty and tension for the families awaiting news. During phase one of the Gaza ceasefire deal, the terrorist group is supposed to inform Israel of the next hostages to be freed 24 hours before their release.

Israel is exerting diplomatic pressure on mediators to prioritize the release of Shiri Bibas and her young children, Kfir and Ariel.

However, they were not mentioned when Hamas eventually announced on Friday the names of the next three Israeli hostages to be released on Saturday: Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, and Or Levy, abducted that day from the Nova music festival.

In exchange, the Hamas media office said Israel was expected to release 183 Palestinian prisoners, reportedly including 18 who have been serving life sentences, 54 serving long sentences, and 111 who were detained in Gaza during the war.

The forthcoming hostage releases over the next month under phase one of the ceasefire deal are expected to include 20 individuals: seven adults over the age of 50, ten identified as sick or wounded, and three members of the Bibas family.

The list of sick or wounded individuals includes American-Israeli Sagi Dekel-Chen.

Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists started the war in Gaza when they murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages during their invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in the neighboring enclave. The conflict raged for nearly 16 months until both sides agreed to last month’s ceasefire and hostage-release deal, the first phase of which is set to last six weeks.

US President Donald Trump’s new proposal to “take over” Gaza has introduced a contentious element into the fragile ceasefire agreement.

Critics argue that the plan could undermine the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but others say it will only strengthen Israel’s position. An unnamed Hamas official cited by Israel’s Channel 12 said that the terrorist group would see how the plan develops before deciding to change the terms of the deal. Nonetheless, the official said that the “takeover” proposal would not thwart the first phase of the plan.

Seventy-nine hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Upon the conclusion of the initial phase of the agreement, 59 hostages will still be held in Gaza, with 35 already declared deceased.