During a speech delivered by the US envoy before tens of thousands of Israelis at the Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, celebrating the reaching of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

The Hebrew newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth” reported on Saturday evening that US Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff was met with sharp boos during his speech at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv when he mentioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Witkoff gave a speech before tens of thousands of Israelis at Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, celebrating the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which will lead to the release of 48 Israeli captives, including 20 alive, according to the same newspaper.

In his speech, he expressed his thanks to the leaders of Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their efforts to reach this moment, saying that “President (Donald) Trump proved that peace in the Middle East is not impossible.”

Witkoff said: “Today we celebrate an exceptional event, a moment many thought impossible, yet here we stand, proving miracles happen.”

The US envoy added: “Our hearts all beat for peace and unity, it seems there are more than 100,000 people here.”

When Witkoff thanked Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer (head of the Israeli negotiating delegation), loud boos erupted from the crowd, while Jared Kushner appeared behind him on the stage smiling at the situation, according to “Yedioth Ahronoth.”

Kushner, the son-in-law of the US president, said during the same event: “We will celebrate the release of the hostages on Monday, after completing the first phase of the Gaza deal.”

He added: “We achieved the first phase of the Gaza deal, and the road was fraught with difficulties.”

Earlier today, the official Hebrew Broadcasting Corporation expected the release of Israeli prisoners from Gaza “Monday morning” as part of the implementation of the agreement between Tel Aviv and Hamas.

It indicated that the Israeli army raised its field readiness to monitor the delivery process.

Tel Aviv estimates there are 48 Israeli captives in Gaza, including 20 alive, while more than 11,100 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, with many killed, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Hours ago, the Israeli Prison Service announced it had completed transferring Palestinian prisoners to the facilities from which they will be released, as part of preparations to implement the exchange deal scheduled to be completed after Tel Aviv recovers all its living captives from Gaza.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel came into effect at 12:00 noon on Friday Jerusalem time (09:00 GMT), after the Israeli government approved the agreement early that same day.

The agreement document published by the official Hebrew Broadcasting Corporation states that Hamas will release the living Israeli captives within 72 hours after Israel ratifies the agreement.

According to the agreement, Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, in addition to about 1,700 others arrested by Tel Aviv from Gaza after October 7, 2023.

The agreement is based on a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump on September 29, which includes a ceasefire, gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, mutual prisoner release, immediate entry of aid to the Gaza Strip, and disarmament of Hamas.

The approval of the first phase of the agreement came after four days of indirect negotiations between the two parties at the Sharm El-Sheikh resort, with the participation of Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, and US supervision.

With US support, Israel has committed genocide in Gaza since October 8, 2023, lasting two years, resulting in 67,682 martyrs and 170,033 wounded, most of them children and women, and famine that claimed the lives of 463 Palestinians including 157 children.