ISRAEL and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a temporary four-day ceasefire to allow the release of 50 hostages held by the militant group in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees and the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. The deal, once implemented, will be the first major diplomatic breakthrough and pause in fighting since the war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. The announcement comes amid a strong assertion from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the “war will continue until all our goals are achieved”. Following a marathon six-hourmeeting inTel Aviv that ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Israeli Cabinet approved a deal media ted by Qatar,Egypt and the United States by a35- 3 vote with ministers from the extreme right-wing Otzma Yehudit party of National Security Minister It a mar Ben Gvir voting against.

 

The Cabinet meeting was preceded by the meetings of the War Cabinet and the Security Cabinet. A PMO statement saidthat 50 women and child ren held hostage in Gaza 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. “The Israeli Government is committed to the return of all abductees home”, a statement on behalf of the Government said. “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 bealull in the fighting.

 

The release of every 10 additional abductees will resultin an additional day of respite,” it added. The implementation of the deal cannot start until about 24 hours after final approval as Israeli law gives the public a day to appeal against the agreement in the Supreme Court. Local media speculated thatthe first exchange could already happen on Thursday morning. Israel has released a list of 300 Palestinians that could be released under the deal struck between Israel and Hamas. The list, posted on Israel’s Justice Ministry website, includes the names,agesand offences of those eligible. Only 150 detainees are expected to be released at first. Qatar, whose capital Doha serves as the headquarters for Hamas, confirmed that an agreement for a temporary ceasefire betweenIsrael and Hamas has been reached and the start time will be announced in the next 24 hours.