- Israel and Hamas agreed on a four-day truce, hostage release, and aid into Gaza.
- Israel’s government and Hamas agreed to allow the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
- Hamas is believed to be holding more than 200 hostages, taken when its fighters surged into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Hamas would resume after the truce expires.
Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, Israel’s Cabinet approved an agreement with Hamas to secure the release of around 50 hostages. According to media reports, the deal was finalized on Wednesday morning (local time) to release the hostages who were abducted into Gaza on October 7.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Cabinet also approved a temporary ceasefire with the Hamas militant group that is expected to bring the first halt in fighting in a devastating six-week war. “The Government of Israel, the IDF, and the security services will continue the war in order to return home all of the hostages, complete the elimination of Hamas, and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza,” the statement added.
According to media reports, Israel has also agreed to free some 150 Palestinian prisoners and allow additional humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of the deal, but the Israeli statement made no mention of either of these elements. It was not clear when the truce, brokered by the US and Qatar, would go into effect.
Ahead of the vote, which came after a six-hour meeting stretching into the early morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Hamas would resume after the truce expires. “We are at war, and we will continue the war. We will continue until we achieve all our goals,” he added. Despite his tough words, the government statement said the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages released by Hamas.
A statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said 50 women and children will be released over four days, during which there will be a pause in fighting. For every additional 10 hostages released, the pause would be extended by another day, it said, without mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. “Israel’s government is committed to returning all the hostages home. Tonight, it approved the proposed deal as a first stage to achieving this goal,” said the statement, released after hours of deliberation that were closed to the press.
It should be mentioned here that the war erupted on October 7 when several thousand Hamas militants burst across the border into Israel, killing at least 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage. Most of the dead were civilians, while the hostages included small children, women, and older people. Israel responded with weeks of blistering airstrikes on Gaza, followed by a ground invasion that began over three weeks ago.
More than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israeli offensive, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory. It does not differentiate between civilians and militants, though some two-thirds of the dead have been identified as women and minors. Israel says thousands of Hamas militants have been killed.
(With inputs from agencies)
