50 hostages, women and children, to be released over four days of pause in fighting - Israeli government
Reuters reports that the Israeli Prime Minister’s office has announced that the deal, which has been approved by the cabinet, will see the release of 50 hostages, women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting. Groups of 12-13 hostages will be released per day, the Times of Israel reports.
The Times of Israel also reports that there may be 30 more hostages released and that the pause in fighting could be extended “by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages”.
Earlier, Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, reported that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages is expected on Thursday.
The delay is because if the deal is agreed to, there must be a 24-hour waiting period before it is implemented, to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports in Israeli media.
The senior US official also said Hamas needed the pause in fighting in order to locate some of the hostages, meaning they may be able to identify and collect additional women and children to be released.
They also said a rigorous inspection regime would ensure the militant group did not use the pause to get more weapons, according to Reuters.
Officials hope the pause in fighting will also be observed in northern Israel where there have been clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
The total number of hostages freed could rise, a senior US official has said.
“The deal has ultimately been structured to incentivise releases beyond 50,” the official said adding that the agreement “is now structured for women and children in the first phase, but with an expectation for further releases.”
The Israeli military will remain “vigilant” during the truce, spokesman Jonathan Conricus has said, adding that it will “use the time to prepare for future operations”.
He said:
After the hostage deal is implemented, we will continue dismantling Hamas while respecting humanitarian law on the ground.
Hamas will release 50 women and children under the age of 19 in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons, the militant group has said in a statement, according to Reuters.
The statement said the two sides had agreed to stop all fighting for four days and that Israel had agreed not to attack or arrest anyone in Gaza during that period.
Air traffic would stop completely in southern Gaza during the four days and for daily six-hour periods in the north, Hamas said.
Hundreds of trucks would be allowed in carrying humanitarian aid to all areas of Gaza, it continued.
Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal for the release of 50 women and children hostages held in Gaza in return for a four-day partial ceasefire, the Israeli government announced early on Wednesday.
The announcement from the prime minister’s office said the lull in Israeli military operations would be extended for an additional day for every 10 more hostages released. It did not say when the ceasefire would start, though in his address to his cabinet, Benjamin Netanyahu said the first hostages should be free within 48 hours of the agreement.
Hamas confirmed an agreement had been reached and added that 150 Palestinian women and children would be freed from Israeli jails.
“The Israeli government is committed to the return of all abductees home,” the government statement said in a WhatsApp message. “Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 abductees — women and children — will be released for four days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting. The release of every 10 additional abductees will result in an additional day of respite.”
Three US citizens held by Hamas to be released as part of deal, US official says
Three Americans held by Hamas in Gaza are expected to be among at least 50 hostages to be released by the Islamist Palestinian group under the deal arranged with Israel, the US and Qatar, a senior US official said according to Reuters.
The three include a 3-year-old girl whose parents were among the more than 1,200 people killed in Hamas’ initial 7 October attack on southern Israel, the official said.
The official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said it was likely that more than 50 hostages, largely women and children, will be released once a pause in fighting takes hold.
The hostage group will include two American women and an American girl named Abigail who will turn four on Friday, the official said.
Initial releases of hostages are expected within 24 hours of the deal’s announcement, with the first likely to be freed Thursday morning, the official said.
“I would say it’s at least 50 of the women and children over a period of four to five days,” the official said, without providing details of any other nationalities expected to be released.
Israeli cabinet backs hostage deal that will free dozens held in Gaza: what we know
Here is what we know about the hostage deal approved by Israel’s cabinet:
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that Israel’s cabinet has voted to approve a deal that will see the release of 50 hostages, who are women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting in Gaza.
A government statement on the deal said, “The Government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages. Tonight, the Government has approved the outline of the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over four days, during which a pause in the fighting will be held. The release of every additional ten hostages will result in one additional day in the pause.”
The deal cannot be enacted until Thursday to allow time for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges to the release of prisoners, the New York Times and reports, citing Israeli officials.
Groups of 12-13 hostages will be released per day, the Times of Israel reports, and fighting may be paused for more days if more hostages are released.
Israel believes Hamas could potentially locate some 30 more Israeli mothers and children beyond the initial 50, the Times of Israel reports, and that the halt in fighting could be extended by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages who are located and freed, the government official said. “Hamas is claiming it cannot immediately track down around 10 children taken from Israel during the shock October 7 attack,” the Times of Israel reports.
Axios reports that the deal also includes an agreement by Israel to allow “around 300 aid trucks per day to enter Gaza from Egypt” as well as additional fuel.
Only three cabinet ministers opposed the deal, Axios and Al Jazeera report. The ministers opposed each belong to the Religious Zionism Party.
Here is the full statement on the deal from the Israeli Government:
The Government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages. Tonight, the Government has approved the outline of the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over four days, during which a pause in the fighting will be held. The release of every additional ten hostages will result in one additional day in the pause.
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.
Deal includes 'around 300 aid trucks per day' to enter Gaza from Egypt
Axios reports that the deal also includes an agreement by Israel to allow “around 300 aid trucks per day to enter Gaza from Egypt” as well as additional fuel.
The deal cannot be enacted until Thursday to allow time for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges to the release of prisoners, the New York Times reports, citing Israeli officials.
The government has said in a WhatsApp message announcing the deal:
“The Israeli government is committed to the return of all abductees home,” and:
Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 abductees — women and children — will be released for 4 days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting. The release of every 10 additional abductees will result in an additional day of respite.”
Pause in fighting could be extended if more hostages located by Hamas - Times of Israel
The Times of Israel also reports that there may be 30 more hostages released and that the pause in fighting could be extended “by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages”:
Israel believes Hamas could potentially locate some 30 more Israeli mothers and children beyond the initial 50, and that the halt in fighting could be extended by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages who are located and freed, the government official said.
Hamas is claiming it cannot immediately track down around 10 children taken from Israel during the shock October 7 attack.”
50 hostages, women and children, to be released over four days of pause in fighting - Israeli government
Reuters reports that the Israeli Prime Minister’s office has announced that the deal, which has been approved by the cabinet, will see the release of 50 hostages, women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting. Groups of 12-13 hostages will be released per day, the Times of Israel reports.
The Times of Israel also reports that there may be 30 more hostages released and that the pause in fighting could be extended “by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages”.
Earlier, Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, reported that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages is expected on Thursday.
The delay is because if the deal is agreed to, there must be a 24-hour waiting period before it is implemented, to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports in Israeli media.
Ceasefire to last at least four days, Times of Israel reports
The Times of Israel reports that in exchange for the release of hostages, “Israel has agreed to a ceasefire for at least four days for the first time since the outbreak of the war.”
First hostages may be released on Thursday, if there is no challenge in Supreme Court
Earlier, Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, reported that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages is expected on Thursday.
The delay is because if the deal is agreed to, there must be a 24-hour waiting period before it is implemented, to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports in Israeli media.
