Qatari officials have said the “first batch” of 13 hostages released would be women and children from the same families, AFP reports.

Teams of Israeli trauma experts and medics await them — along with specially trained soldiers who, according to guidelines, will promise to keep them safe and will carry a child’s favourite food item, be it pizza or chicken schnitzel.

An Egyptian security source told AFP that Israeli security officials, International Red Cross-Red Crescent staff and an Egyptian team would deploy to Rafah, on the Egypt-Gaza border, to receive the hostages, who will then be flown to Israel.