The Israeli government approved early Wednesday morning (local time) the agreement providing for the release of 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a truce in the Gaza Strip, according to an official statement.
“The government approved the outline of the first stage of an agreement under which at least 50 abductees – women and children – will be released for four days during which there will be a lull in the fighting,” according to a government press release sent to AFP.
Around 240 people were kidnapped during the bloody attack on Israel launched by the Islamist movement in power in the Gaza Strip on October 7.
“We are getting closer to concluding a truce agreement,” Ismaïl Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, who lives in exile in Qatar, said earlier.
According to sources close to the talks, the agreement provides, in this first phase which can be renewed, the release of 50 hostages, in exchange for that of 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
At the end of this phase, Israel remains focused on its objective of “eliminating” Hamas and promoting the release of other hostages in the hands of the Palestinian Islamist movement, the government indicated.
“The Israeli government, Israeli army and security forces will continue the war to return all abductees, eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no further threat to the State of Israel from Gaza,” he said in a statement in Hebrew sent to AFP.
Hamas, for its part, welcomed the “humanitarian truce” agreement approved by Israel.
“The provisions of this agreement were formulated in accordance with the vision of resistance and determination that aims to serve our people and strengthen their tenacity in the face of aggression,” Hamas said in a statement. “We confirm that our hands will remain on the trigger and that our triumphant battalions will remain on the lookout,” he nevertheless warned.
Further details will follow.