Israel's Supreme Court is set to hear arguments from Israelis opposed to a proposed exchange of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Lawyers representing Israeli families whose relatives have been killed in Palestinian attacks are making their case Monday in a last-minute legal attempt to block the swap with the Islamist Hamas movement.

On Sunday, the High Court approved the Shalit family's request to argue in its chambers in favor of the deal. The family warned against any delay in what they called a “delicate” agreement to release their son.

In the past, Israeli courts have rejected petitions seeking to prevent the mass release of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel has transferred most of the 477 inmates expected to be released Tuesday to a holding facility in the Negev desert.

Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants in a 2006 cross-border raid from Gaza into southern Israel.

Under the exchange deal, 1,027 Palestinians will be freed in two stages in return for Shalit, who will be released to Egyptian custody and then handed over to Israel. The remaining 550 inmates will be freed over a two-month period.

Some of the prisoners to be released were involved with planning and carrying out terrorist attacks against Israelis, including more than 280 Palestinians serving life sentences. More than 100 are considered hardcore militants.

Meanwhile, in Washington Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said international mediators will meet separately with Palestinian and Israeli negotiators in Jerusalem on October 26, in an effort to re-launch peace talks.

The Middle East Quartet of mediators includes the U.S., European Union, Russia and the United Nations. The talks will just miss the 30-day deadline to restart preliminary talks, which the Quartet had set on September 23.