Israeli cabinet approves deal with Hamas that will see 50 Israeli women and children released over four days, in exchange for 150 jailed Palestinians and a lull in fighting. Follow our live updates
- Full report: Israel and Hamas agree deal for release of hostages and partial ceasefire
- Israel and Palestine: a complete guide to the crisis
This is the Guardian’s live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war with me, Helen Sullivan.
The Israeli prime minister’s office has announced that Israel’s cabinet has voted to approve a deal that will see the release of 50 hostages, women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting in Gaza.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that Israel’s cabinet has voted to approve a deal that will see the release of 50 hostages, who are women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting in Gaza.
A government statement on the deal said, “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 deal cannot be enacted until Thursday to allow time for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges to the release of prisoners, the New York Times and reports, citing Israeli officials.
Groups of 12-13 hostages will be released per day, the Times of Israel reports, and fighting may be paused for more days if more hostages are released.
Hamas said that during the four-day truce Israel had agreed not to attack or arrest anyone in Gaza and that air traffic would stop completely in southern Gaza and for daily six-hour periods in the north. It also said hundreds of trucks would be allowed in to all areas of Gaza carrying humanitarian aid.
A senior US official said that three Americans including a girl about to turn 4 would be included among those released by Hamas. The official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said it was likely that more than 50 hostages, largely women and children, would be released once a pause in fighting takes hold.
Israel believes Hamas could locate about 30 more Israeli mothers and children beyond the initial 50, the Times of Israel reports, and that the halt in fighting could be extended by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages who are located and freed, the government official said. “Hamas is claiming it cannot immediately track down around 10 children taken from Israel during the shock October 7 attack,” the Times of Israel reports.
Axios reports that the deal also includes an agreement by Israel to allow “around 300 aid trucks per day to enter Gaza from Egypt” as well as additional fuel.
Only three cabinet ministers opposed the deal, Axios and Al Jazeera report. The ministers opposed each belong to the Religious Zionism Party.
