Israel and Hamas to begin four-day cease-fire early Friday to release hostages
The four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is set to begin at 7 a.m. local time Friday — 12 a.m. EST — with civilian hostages snatched by the terror group expected to be handed over hours later, according to Qatar officials.
The first group of hostages will include 13 Israeli women and children, who will be freed at 4 p.m., with the total number rising to 50 over the four days, ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in the Qatari capital Do﷽ha.
Three Americans could be among the hostages 🉐released. In addition, increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter “as soon as possible,” Al-Ansari said.
Up to 150 Palestinian prisoners are also🌌 expected to be released from Israeli custody as part of the deal.
The Qatar-mediated deal was first approved by the Israeli cabinet early Wednesꦿday local time and was set to begin Thursday morning, but was delayed as negotiations between Israel a🍃nd Hamas continued through the morning.
An extra day of cea🔜sed hostilities will be added for every 10 hostages Hamas releases, according to the Israeli government.
It marks the first major diplomatic breakthrough🅺 in the six weeks of violent fighting since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and dragged about 240 Israeli hostages into Gaza.
More than 1,200 Israelis were killed in the sneak attack, while a reported 11,500 people in the Gaza Strip have died during Israel’s retaliation, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
Since then, Israel has devastated the ൩Palestinian city with a mercile🃏ss artillery barrage and intense ground invasion to root out the terror group.
Qatar will be working with the “parties in the conflict” and the Red Cross to help carry out the hostage exchanges, the Arab nation — where Hamas’ leadership lives — said.
On Thursday morning 🍎Israel was gi🍎ven a list of the hostages set to be released, Israeli prime minister spokesman Ofir Gendelman announced on Twitter.
“The hostages’ families whose loved ones appear on the list of those who will be released as a first tranche from Hamas’s brutal captivity, have been informed of that. So have the families of the rest of the hostages,” he wrote.
President Biden celebrated the announcement of the deal to “secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas,” in a statement Tuesday night.
“Today’s deal should bring ho🍃me additional American hos🌠tages, and I will not stop until they are all released,” he said.
“I look forward to speaking with each of these leaders and staying in close contact as we work to ensure this deal is carried through in its entirety. It is important tha☂t all aspects of this deal be fully implemented,” Biden added.
Israel agreed to let fuel and humanitarian aid like medical supplies into Gaza as part of the deal, Hamas officials said in💃 a statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the fighting once the cease-f♔ire ended.
“We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals,” Netanyahu said in a statement played at a recent government meeting. “To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that 💟no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel.”
