Israel’s cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas that would bring a temporary halt to the devastating war that has stretched on for more than six weeks.
Under the deal, Hamas is to free 50 of the roughly 240 hostages it is holding in the Gaza Strip over a four-day period, the Israeli government said. It said it would extend the lull by an additional day for every 10 hostages released.
Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume its offensive against Hamas after the ceasefire expires.
The full details of the truce, and when it will go into effect, were not immediately clear.
Media reports ahead of the vote said Israel would free some 150 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal, but the Israeli statement made no mention of a prisoner release.
Who has Hamas taken hostage?
Hamas took about 240 hostages and killed 1200 people when they raided Israel on October 7, according to the Israeli government. The hostages were from communities, including collective farms, called kibbutzim, and military bases in southern Israel as well as people attending an outdoor music festival.
In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages held foreign and dual citizenship from some 40 countries including the US, Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain and Portugal.
According to Israeli media and the Israeli government, up to 40 hostages being held are children, including a 10-month-old baby and preschoolers.
Also among those taken were soldiers, elderly people and people with disabilities such as a 17-year-old girl who cannot walk or talk and uses a feeding tube.
Hamas has to date released four captives: Americans Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, on October 20; and Israeli women Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, on October 23.
Israeli forces rescued one hostage, soldier Ori Megidish in their ground invasion of Gaza on October 30.
The Israeli military said earlier this month that it recovered the bodies of two hostages in Gaza City, including 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano.
The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7 raid with Hamas, announced late the death of another Israeli hostage on Wednesday but did not identify the individual.
SMH./ AP/ REUTERS
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