What is known about the 4-day ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza?

Updated 34 minutes ago

The Israeli Cabinet and Hamas agreed to an agreement providing for a four-day cessation of fighting in Gaza and the exchange of some hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians held in Israel.

Under the agreement, in exchange for Hamas releasing 50 hostages, Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, and allow more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

According to information obtained by the BBC, the clashes will be suspended as of 10:00 am local time tomorrow.

The statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said: “It is necessary for the Israeli government that all hostages return to their homes. Today, the government ratified the agreement that stipulates the release of at least 50 hostages, women and children.” Within four days in order to achieve this goal, in the meantime there will be a cessation of hostilities for four days.

The statement continued as follows:

“With the release of all 10 hostages, another day will be added to the cessation of hostilities. The Israeli government, the Israeli army and security units will continue to fight to return all hostages to their homes, complete the destruction of Hamas and ensure that no new threat to Israel will come from Gaza.

Hamas also issued a statement confirming the agreement and stating that it welcomed a “humanitarian ceasefire.”

Hamas said that under the agreement, Israel would release 150 Palestinian prisoners, all of them women and children.

This was not mentioned in the Israeli government statement, but on Wednesday morning the Ministry of Justice issued a Hebrew list of the names of 300 prisoners who could be released as part of the deal, indicating the possibility of Hamas agreeing to release more hostages.

Five of them are under the age of 14 and are in prison for crimes ranging from firebombing to arson, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

It is reported that under the agreement, Hamas may also release some non-Israeli hostages.

The Hamas statement stated that hundreds of trucks loaded with humanitarian and medical supplies and fuel would enter Gaza under the agreement reached with the mediation of Qatar and Egypt.

It is noteworthy that Israel will completely stop its air activities in southern Gaza for four days, and air traffic will stop in the north of the area between 10:00 and 16:00 local time.

The statement said, “As we announce the ceasefire agreement, we confirm that our fingers will remain on the trigger and that our victorious fighters will be in service to defend our people and defeat the occupation.”

The Hamas statement said that Israeli soldiers and tanks would remain in the same positions in Gaza during the four-day pause, but would not make any attempts such as attacks or arrests.

Netanyahu reportedly faced opposition from the far-right coalition government in the all-night meeting of the Israeli Cabinet.

Hard-line National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said the agreement must include the release of Israeli soldiers.

Defense Minister Yoav Galant also stated at the cabinet meeting that he received assurances that the agreement would not mean the end of the war to destroy Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said earlier that his country would continue the war even if an exchange agreement was reached.

A senior US official said they expected at least three US citizens, including a three-year-old child, to be among the hostages released by Hamas.

The official confirmed that the child, named Abigail, would have turned four on Friday and that her parents were killed in a Hamas attack on October 7.

The concerned official stated that the hostages will be released within a period ranging between four and five days.

US President Joe Biden also said that he was “very happy” that the hostages, “who have been held for weeks and are suffering hardship beyond words,” will be reunited with their families as the agreement is implemented.

The US President also thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their “decisive leadership and partnership” in reaching the agreement.

Biden also said he appreciated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “commitment” to a cessation of hostilities, and said: “It is important that all aspects of the agreement are fully implemented.”

Hamas took about 240 people hostage during the attack on October 7. According to information provided by the Hamas administration, more than 14,000 Palestinians, including 5,600 children, lost their lives in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The bodies of two hostages held by Hamas were found. Hamas has released 4 hostages so far. Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad movement said that one of the hostages in their hands had died, but did not provide a detailed statement.