Families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are cautiously optimistic about the cease-fire deal that progressed this week.
All hostages living and deceased are supposed to be released by Monday at noon local time, 72 hours after the deal went into effect.
The hostages are expected to be taken to various hospitals, which are preparing to provide medical and psychological support.
Families of the hostages say they are waiting for messages telling them they can meet their loved ones at the hospital.
Scripps News spoke with Matan Eshet, whose cousin Evyatar David is being held hostage.
"We don't really know the conditions, his physical and mental conditions," Eshet said. "We have got some advice based on other hostages who came back, and based on social workers and psychologists who made a document and sent out points. 'This is the kind of thing you can assume is going to happen, to make sure you're not too shocked about they way they react to us.'"
"Everyone is imagining a really warm and heart to the first meeting, but you can never know how the first meeting is going to be, being treated so badly and inhumanely for such a long time," Eshet said.
RELATED STORY | Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes effect after U.S.-brokered deal
It's not clear if all remaining hostages will be released at once or in groups.
Intermediaries including Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the United States are sending investigators who will work to locate the bodies of deceased hostages.
Israel, meanwhile, has begun retreating to agreed upon lines to uphold its part of the cease-fire deal.
