Israel and Hamas have reached a temporary ceasefire agreement that will allow the release of roughly fifty prisoners who have been detained in Gaza since the Hamas armed group stormed Southern Israel on October 7. in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli jails,
Following negotiations on a deal mediated by Qatar that lasted into the wee hours of Wednesday morning, during which Israeli media reported tense exchanges between Cabinet Ministers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government, the Israeli cabinet approved the agreement.
In the end, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and two other members of his far-right political party were the only three of the 38 cabinet members to vote against the ceasefire.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the deal would require Hamas to release at least 50 women and children during a four-day truce. For every additional 10 hostages released, the pause would be extended by a day, it said, without mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
“Israel’s Government is committed to return all the hostages home. Tonight, it approved the proposed deal as a first stage to achieving this goal,” it said in its brief statement.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, also released a statement, confirming that 50 women and children held in the territory would be freed in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.
It said that Israel would also stop all military actions in Gaza and that hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical and fuel aid would be allowed into the territory.
