Israel and Hamas have agreed to free 50 Israeli civilian hostages held in Gaza in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and a pause in fighting.
‘I am 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’, President Biden said.
Agreement required Hamas to meet Biden’s demands for proof of life of the hostages. The deal will be carried out in two phases: first, 30 children, 8 mothers and 12 other women will be released over four days. The first hostages could be freed as early as Thursday.
Israel will release 150 Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli prisons, there will be a pause in fighting over the entire Gaza Strip and Israel will cease any drone surveillance in northern Gaza for six hours.
The starting time of the pause in fighting ‘will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension’, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on social media. During the pause, humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel, will be allowed into Gaza.
Second, up to 30 hostages would be released over a three-day period. In that phase, non-Israeli hostages could be freed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue ‘the war in order to return all the hostages, to complete the elimination of Hamas and to ensure that there will be no renewed threat from Gaza to the State of Israel’.
Most of the 150 Palestinian detainees were jailed for throwing stones or incendiary objects, and a small number for attempted murder. Some were Hamas members.
Israel has been split over how many concessions the country should make to retrieve the hostages.