NEW YORK, November 22. /TASS/. Palestinian prisoners will be released and exchanged for Israeli hostages no earlier than on November 23, The New York Times reported, citing an Israeli official.

"The Israeli hostages may not be released until Thursday at the earliest to allow time for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges to an agreement," the paper writes.

On Wednesday morning, the Israeli Ministry of Justice issued a list of Palestinian prisoners who may be released as part of the agreement to return hostages held in Gaza. The list includes 300 Palestinian prisoners, double the number Israel agreed to free in exchange for the Gaza hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday that the country’s government had approved a plan, which included the return of at least 50 hostages from the Gaza Strip in four days, after which Israel would resume its military operation in the enclave.

On Wednesday night, the radical Palestinian movement Hamas is expected to present a list of hostages who may be part of the first group released on the morning of November 23, Israel’s state-run Kan radio station reported. According to the broadcaster, under the deal, Hamas will release 50 hostages in ten groups throughout the four-day ceasefire. If the truce is extended, ten people are expected to be released every additional day, Kan added. Israel will simultaneously free three Palestinian prisoners for each of its hostages.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The movement confirmed that the agreement stipulated the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.