Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire and release of hostages

Israel's government and the Palestinian radical group Hamas é, declared terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, have agreed on Wednesday for a four-day fighting break, to enable the release of 50 hostages being held in Gaza, in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel and the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory, Reuters reports.

Officials from Qatar, who have been mediating secret negotiations, as well as from the US, Israel and Hamas, have been warning of reaching a deal for days.

Hamas is believed to be holding over 200 hostages, which he took when his warriors stormed Israel on October 7th, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities.

A communique issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has suggested that 50 women and children will be released within a four - day period during which there will be fighting cuts.

For every additional 10 hostages released, the ceasefire will be extended for an additional day, Netanyah's office has announced, not to mention the freedom of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

The Israeli government is committed to bringing all hostages home. Today, it has approved the proposed agreement as the first step towards achieving this target”, it says, which was launched several hours after discussions behind closed doors.

Hamas has said 50 hostages will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. The ceasefire agreement will also allow the entrance of hundreds of trucks with humanitarian aid, medicine and fuel to Gaza, the Palestinian radical group has said, through a communique.

Israel has pledged that it will not attack or arrest anyone in all parts of Gaza during the ceasefire period, Hamas has announced.

The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has said he welcomed the deal reached. Today's “Agreement has to return an additional American hostage house, and I will not stop until all of it is released”, he stated, through a communique.

Qatar's government has said that 50 civilians, women and children -- taken hostage -- will be released from Gaza in exchange for releasing “a number of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons”.

The start of implementation of the agreement will become known within 24 hours, she has announced, through a communique.

The deal is the first of the ceasefire in a war in which Israeli bombings have levelled large parts of Hamas-run Gaza, killed 13,300 civilians in a small territory with great population density, and left about two-thirds of its population of 2.3 million without a roof over their head, according to authorities in Gaza.

But Netanyah has said that Israel's mission has not changed.

We are at war and will continue to fight until we achieve all of our goals. To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and make sure no one in Gaza can threaten Israel”, he declared before the start of the government meeting.

Hamas has said in his communiqué that, “as we declare the arrival of a ceasefire agreement, confirm that our warriors remain ready, and our victorious warriors will continue to engage in the defense of our people and the defeat of targets”.

Three Americans, including a three - year - old girl whose parents were among those killed during the October 7th attack by Hamas, are expected to be among the hostages to be released, a senior American official has said.

In addition to Israeli citizens, over half of the hostages have dual citizenship from over 40 states, including the US, Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain and Portugal, the Israeli government has said.

According to Israeli media, the first release of hostages is expected to take place Thursday. The implementation of the agreement should wait 24 hours to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to ban the release of Palestinian prisoners, they reported. / REL