Israel has given its approval to an agreement with Hamas, wherein 50 hostages held by the terror group will be released in exchange for a temporary cessation of hostilities in Gaza, lasting at least four days. As part of the deal, Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons will also be released.
The agreement, facilitated by Qatar, received strong approval from the Israeli cabinet in the early hours of Wednesday local time, following over six hours of deliberation. This marks the initial significant diplomatic advancement since the commencement of the conflict.
“The government of Israel is committed to bringing all of the hostages home. Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar officially declared the agreement in a statement released on X, stating that the commencement of the ceasefire would be disclosed within the next 24 hours.
As part of the agreement, more than six weeks into the conflict, Hamas is slated to release 50 out of the 240 hostages it took during its attack on Israel on October 7, as stated by the Israeli government.
During a four-day ceasefire in Gaza, hostages are scheduled to be released. This region has faced extensive damage due to Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes and a subsequent ground attack with the aim of dismantling Hamas.
The Israeli government stated that the duration of the ceasefire would be prolonged by an additional day for every 10 extra hostages released by Hamas.
According to the official, three individuals from the United States might be among the hostages liberated as per the arrangement.
President Biden expressed his approval of the agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas in a statement on Tuesday night.
American officials have expressed their optimism that Abigail Mor Idan, a 3-year-old girl whose parents were killed on October 7, would be among the children considered in the negotiations.Ten Americans, including the toddler and two women, are still not located or reported on.
Hamas, in an early Wednesday statement, announced the release of 150 women and children held in Israeli jails. As part of the agreement, Israel also committed to allowing increased fuel into Gaza and a substantial amount of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, as stated in Hamas’s latest communication.
Prime Minister Netanyahu pledged that the Jewish state would resume its offensive against Hamas once the temporary ceasefire is done.
