In a significant development, Hamas and Israel have agreed to a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes, which includes a hostage release deal. The Israeli government has expressed its commitment to bringing back all hostages home and has approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal. As part of the agreement, at least 50 hostages, including women and children, will be released for four days, during which there will be a halt in the fighting. Furthermore, the release of every ten additional hostages will result in an additional day of respite.

The cease-fire was officially announced after negotiations between Israeli and Hamas leaders were said to be in their final stages. The agreement was brokered with the assistance of Qatari negotiators and is set to take effect on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Under the deal, Israel's military has agreed to temporarily halt its pursuit of Hamas, including its ground invasion of Gaza and airstrikes, for humanitarian purposes. In return, Hamas has agreed to release dozens of hostages in tandem with Israel's release of Palestinian prisoners on a 3-to-1 ratio.

Hamas, which governs Gaza, had taken around 240 hostages, including Israelis, Americans, and other foreign nationals, during its terror attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The group had stated that it would only release the hostages once all Palestinians in Israeli captivity were freed. Now, Hamas has officially approved the cease-fire, announcing that it will release 50 women and children in exchange for 150 women and children being held in Israel. The specific prisoners to be released have not been announced yet.

Although a delicate deal has been finalized, the actual release of the hostages is expected to take at least 24 hours. The hostages will be released in groups of 10-12 at multiple locations. Israel has indicated that the temporary cease-fire does not mark the end of the war, emphasizing its goal of eliminating Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces spokesman has stated that "Hamas needs to be destroyed." They remain cautious about any cease-fire with Hamas, given their previous experiences, including soldiers being taken hostage in 2014.

President Biden has welcomed the cease-fire deal, expressing his satisfaction that the hostages will be reunited with their families. However, he also acknowledges that this is not the end of the conflict. Israel's goal remains the complete elimination of Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held several meetings with his war council, security council, and full cabinet before announcing the agreement. He had expressed hope for good news prior to the meetings.

As the deal was struck, Israeli forces continued to target Hamas with deadly airstrikes and ground operations inside Gaza. The potential deal includes the release of dozens of Israeli and foreign citizen hostages in a 3-to-1 ratio. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas for the cease-fire and hostage release have been intensifying. The temporary cease-fire will provide a window for humanitarian aid to enter the region.

This development comes after weeks of intense battles in Gaza, with the Israeli military targeting numerous Hamas sites and killing dozens of militants. The truce agreement being negotiated with Qatari mediators seeks the release of 50 hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a three-day ceasefire. While details about the duration of the truce and the final number of hostages to be released are yet to be disclosed, this agreement marks a significant step towards resolving the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.