Israel Approves Deal With Hamas To Release 50 Gaza Hostages, 4-Day Pause In Fighting

The Israeli government backed a deal with Hamas to free 50 hostages held by Palestinian militant group in Gaza and a four-day pause in fighting.

Israeli government approves deal with Hamas to release 50 hostages, pause fighting for four days.

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The Israeli government on Wednesday voted in favour of a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas to free 50 hostages in Gaza in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting for humanitarian aid to reach the coastal strip, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, reported Reuters. The negotitaions which have been happening for past some days was being brokered by Qatar and the US. 

The deal also included releasing of 150 Palestinians from Israeli jails, reported AFP.

In a statement the Government of Israel stated: "The Government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages. Tonight, the Government has approved the outline of the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over four days, during which a pause in the fighting will be held. The release of every additional ten hostages will result in one additional day in the pause."

The accord is the first one since the starting of the war on October 7 when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that killed around 1,400 Israelis.  

Israeli forces have been since pounding Gaza Strip with relentless bombarding killing 13,300 Palestinian civilians. 

While Hamas, in a statement, has welcomed the "humanitarian truce", Israel has vowed to "continue its war" against the Palestinian militant group after the pause, said the government according to AFP. 

"We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals. To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel," Netanyahu said in a recorded message at the start of the government meeting.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu met with his war cabinet and wider national security cabinet over the deal, ahead of gathering his full government. 

Before announcing the deal, the Israeli PM said that US President Joe Biden's intervention had helped the improve the tentative agreement so that it included more hostages and fewer concessions.

For every 10 hostages that would be released, the truce will extend with an extra day, as per AFP. 

Before voting, Netanyahu faced a revolt from within his right-wing coalition over the deal as some of them believed that the agreement would give too much to Palestinian militants responsible for the attack.

The far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir indicated that he would vote against the agreement, saying it should include the release of Israeli soldiers, according to AFP.