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Israel's cabinet approved a deal with Hamas to release 50 hostages held in Gaza. This was reported by the BBC and Reuters.
The hostages will be released during a four-day pause in the fighting, the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement. He said he was "extremely pleased" that some of the hostages, who had endured "weeks of captivity and an indescribable ordeal", would be reunited with their families once the deal was implemented. Biden thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their partnership in reaching the agreement.
Russia also welcomed the agreement. In a comment by the spokeswoman of the foreign ministry in Moscow, Maria Zakharova, it is said that Russia has been calling for this ever since the escalation of the conflict began. According to the information, at least 50 women and children abducted in the Gaza Strip on October 7 will be released during the 4-day ceasefire. In return, Israel will release at least 140 women and minors from its prisons, Israeli media reported.
Freeing every additional 10 hostages will extend the pause in fighting by one day.
The deal will also allow hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel to enter Gaza. It was approved by Israel's cabinet after a meeting that lasted until early this morning.
Before the meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that after the expiration of the truce, the war with Hamas will continue until Israel achieves all its goals.
The Qatari government, which brokered the deal, said the start time of the truce would be announced in the next 24 hours. This is the first truce agreement since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas.
US President Joe Biden said he was "overwhelmed" that some of the hostages, who had endured "weeks of captivity and an indescribable ordeal", would be reunited with their families once the deal was implemented.
He thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their partnership in reaching the agreement.
Biden also stressed that he appreciates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "commitment" to support a pause in the fighting and ensure more aid is provided "to ease the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza."
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