Hebrew media reported that the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip began handing over the three Israeli female prisoners scheduled to be released on Sunday to the International Committee of the Red Cross in preparation for their transfer to Israel, hours after the ceasefire went into effect.

The private Hebrew Channel (12) said: "The Red Cross has begun the process of receiving the kidnapped women (Israeli female prisoners)."

There was no immediate official confirmation from the International Committee of the Red Cross, Hamas, or the Israeli side about the handover of the Israeli female prisoners.

On Saturday evening, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was preparing to carry out a "delicate operation" that would include facilitating the exchange of prisoners and detainees between Palestinian factions and Israel, in addition to intensifying humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the committee said it was "making preparations based on what was agreed upon by the parties (Hamas and Israel) to begin implementing a precise operation that includes releasing hostages (Israeli prisoners in Gaza) and detainees (Palestinians in Israel) and facilitating their transfer, and intensifying the humanitarian response in the Strip."

In a related context, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz arrived at the reception point for the three female prisoners in the "Ra'im" settlement adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

From there, Katz said: "I came to ensure that the IDF is prepared to defend towns and soldiers against any possibility of attack and attempts to carry out terrorist attacks and kidnappings by Hamas, even during a ceasefire," according to what was reported by the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

He added: "We will not stop the war before all the kidnapped (prisoners) return to their homes."

Katz vowed to "respond forcefully to any violation or threat," stressing that they would "preserve the buffer zones."

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli Prison Service began transferring 90 Palestinian prisoners to Ofer prison in preparation for their release later on Sunday.

The private Hebrew newspaper Haaretz said: "The Israeli Prison Service has begun transferring Palestinian prisoners to Ofer Prison for their release."

Channel (12) reported that "90 Palestinian prisoners will be released today (Sunday), but only after the kidnapped people arrive in Israel."

78 Palestinian prisoners will be released to the West Bank and 12 to occupied East Jerusalem, according to the same source.

The channel pointed out that 1,500 members of the Israeli Prison Service are participating in the operation.

On Saturday, the Hebrew website Walla said: “Contrary to the November 2023 agreement, they will be transported in prison service buses, not Red Cross buses, with tinted windows. With the aim of ‘preventing public expressions of joy.’”

The Palestinian prisoners will not be released until confirmation is obtained that the Israeli prisoners have been handed over to the Red Cross, according to the same source.

On Sunday, the Hamas Prisoners' Media Office said: "The occupation is expected to hand over a list containing 90 names of female and child prisoners who are expected to be released on the first day of the ceasefire agreement."

The office explained in a statement that the agreement stipulates the release of 30 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a female civilian prisoner from the occupation.

There is a discrepancy regarding the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, and this is apparently due to the ambiguity surrounding the status of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza, in terms of the number of living and dead among them, which directly affects the determination of the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

While the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that more than 1,890 Palestinian prisoners will be released, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Abdullah al-Zaghari, spoke to Anadolu Agency about 1,904 prisoners, and the head of the Palestinian Prisoners and Freed Prisoners Affairs Authority, Qadura Fares, in press statements, about 1,737 prisoners, and the private Hebrew news website "Ynet" about 1,977 prisoners.

The Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement consists of 3 stages, each lasting 42 days.

The first stage includes a temporary cessation of mutual military operations, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, including the Netzarim axis, to areas along the border, in addition to other provisions.

The second phase of the agreement concerns the return of complete and sustainable calm, the exchange of additional numbers of prisoners and detainees, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The third phase focuses on starting a plan to rebuild Gaza over a period of 3 to 5 years, exchanging the bodies and remains of the dead held by both parties, opening all crossings, and allowing the free movement of people and goods.