The Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, which killed around 1,200 people, took 240 hostages from Israel
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes, including a hostage release deal, as confirmed by US Newzs.
The Israeli government, committed to the return of all hostages, approved the outline for the first stage of this effort. As per the agreement, at least 50 hostages, including women and children, will be released for a period of 4 days, during which there will be a pause in the fighting, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The release of every ten additional hostages will result in an additional day of respite. The Israeli government, the IDF, and the security forces will continue the war to return all the hostages, complete the elimination of Hamas, and ensure that Gaza does not renew any threat to the State of Israel.”
The cease-fire was officially announced hours after Israeli and Hamas leaders indicated that negotiations were in their final stages. The agreement, facilitated by Qatari negotiators, is set to take effect at 10 a.m. local time – 3 a.m. ET – Thursday, according to Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV channel.
Under the deal, Israel’s military has agreed to temporarily halt its pursuit of Hamas, including its ground invasion of Gaza and airstrikes, for humanitarian purposes.
Additionally, Hamas has agreed to release dozens of hostages, with Israel reciprocating by releasing Palestinian prisoners on a 3-to-1 ratio. According to Fox News’ Trey Yingst, Hamas leaders will release one hostage for every three Palestinians released by Israel from its prisons.
Hamas, which governs Gaza, took approximately 240 hostages from Israel during its terror attack on Oct. 7, resulting in the invasion of Israel and the tragic death of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The terror group claimed at the time that it had taken enough hostages, including Israelis, Americans, and other foreign nationals, to secure the release of all Palestinians in Israel.
Hamas has officially approved the cease-fire, stating that it will release 50 women and children in exchange for 150 women and children held in Israel. The specific prisoners to be released are not immediately clear, and the initial hostages released may not include the entirety of the women and children being held hostage.
Even with a delicate deal finalized, the actual release of the hostages is expected to take at least 24 hours. The hostages will be released in groups of 10-12, as reported by Fox News’ Jeff Paul on Wednesday.
“You’ll see the first hostages come out over the course of Thursday,” stated a senior administration official, highlighting that the release could occur at multiple locations.
In their statement confirming the cease-fire, Hamas praised the brutal Oct. 7 terror attack against civilians as “victorious resistance.”
“The terms of this agreement were formulated according to a vision that aims to serve our people and strengthen their steadfastness in the face of aggression, and always pay attention to their sacrifices, suffering, and concerns,” Hamas said in a statement on Wednesday. “At the time when we announce the arrival of a truce agreement, we affirm that our victorious brigades and all our resistance factions will remain the protective shield and defender of our people until the occupation and aggression are defeated.”
Netanyahu convened with his war council on Tuesday afternoon, followed by the security council and then his full cabinet, before the agreement was announced. Before the meetings, he expressed hope for “good news.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Mark Regev, the senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, openly stated that a deal was close.
After the deal was announced, Israeli forces continued to target Hamas with deadly airstrikes and ground operations inside Gaza ahead of the expected Thursday cease-fire.
President Biden said he welcomes the cease-fire deal and that he is “extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls, who have endured weeks of captivity and an unspeakable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.”
Israel indicated that the temporary cease-fire was not an end to the war, and their goal of eliminating Hamas remains.
“Nothing says that the war ends after hostages are returned,” said Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus to Fox News on Tuesday. “Hamas needs to be destroyed.”
Before the deal was struck, Conricus stated that any cease-fire with Hamas, “based on our previous experience, is always a dubious endeavor.”
“We have had soldiers taken hostage – or being abducted in 2014 after a U.N. cease-fire was brokered. So we have to be very careful when it comes to anything that relates to operations on the ground with Hamas,” he said. “Based on our experience with Hamas, I can only believe what I see and I can touch with my own hands.”
Around 240 hostages are being held by Hamas inside the Gaza Strip. Qatari mediators were previously seeking a deal for Hamas to release 50 Israeli hostages, including three Americans, including Abigail Mor Idan. Approximately 10 Americans remain unaccounted for.
Israel and Hamas have been in conflict since October 7, following a deadly terror attack by Hamas-led forces, which invaded Israel and resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties, mostly civilians.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, they report that over 12,700 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military in their counteroffensive. It’s important to note that casualty figures in conflicts can vary, and different sources may provide different numbers based on their perspectives and reporting.