A spokeswoman for President Shimon Peres said he received the files of hundreds of prisoners set for release in the first phase of the deal and has 48 hours to sign the pardons. The swap will likely happen Tuesday.

Under the deal, 1,027 Palestinians — include some behind attacks on Israelis — will released in two stages in return for Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who was captured by Hamas-backed militants in a 2006 cross-border raid.

Israel has been coerced into uneven prisoner exchange deals for decades. This swap, however, is the most lopsided to date. Critics say it encourages more abductions, is unjust to families of those killed and also poses the risk that freed killers will return to violence.

The list of prisoners included in the deal is to be released publicly, and in a mostly symbolic gesture, Israelis will be able to raise appeals.

Among the Palestinian prisoners to be freed are many involved in plotting suicide bombings inside cafe’s and buses as well as shooting attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis and injured many more.

Little is known of the captured Israeli soldier’s condition. Hamas banned the Red Cross from visiting him and have only released a short audio and video statement confirming that he was alive.

Israeli well-wishers from across the country visited the Schalit family home Thursday where preparations were under way for his return. “It’s not over until it’s over and Gilad is home,” said his father, Noam Schalit. “This is the Middle East and anything can happen.”

In the West Bank and Gaza, families waited in anticipation for the return of their loved ones. The prisoners are highly regarded in Palestinian society.

Hamas officials were in talks with Egyptian intelligence officers in Cairo to work out the intricate mechanics of how to safely transfer Schalit.

Hamas is eager to keep secret the location in Gaza where they have held Schalit, no easy feat in a tiny sliver of territory crammed with 1.6 million people.

However unlikely it seems, some militants involved in hiding Schalit also said they feared Israeli forces might seize the soldier if they knew of his location before he was spirited out, a senior Hamas official said. They are also on guard for the slim possibility that other militants along the transfer route could try to harm the soldier.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the press. He would not say what strategy was agreed upon, only that “different scenarios” were under consideration.

The general plan, however, is to transfer Schalit from Hamas custody to Egypt. Cairo would then hand the soldier over to Israel.

He would not say when Schalit would be transferred to Egyptian custody or from where. He said the Israeli would not be handed over to Egyptian officials at Rafah, the only border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

The spokesman for a smaller Palestinian militant faction also involved in Schalit’s captivity said the handover would have several steps.

First, the identities of released Palestinian prisoners would be checked, said Mohammed Al-Barem of the Popular Resistance Committees. Once confirmed, they will be transferred in buses to the Egyptian Sinai desert.

Once they reach the Sinai, the procedures to release Schalit would begin, he said.

“They will hand over the captive soldier simultaneously, without announcement, and in secret, with strong security procedures by the factions holding (Schalit),” Al-Barem said.

Once that is accomplished, the Palestinian prisoners meant to be released into Gaza would be taken to the Rafah crossing.

From there, Palestinian officials will escort them to Gaza City for a massive celebration.

Israel is expected to release around 450 Palestinian prisoners on the same day that Schalit is freed.

Prisoners headed to the West Bank are typically left at Israeli checkpoints scattered throughout the territory. Waiting Palestinian buses ferry them back home.