Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement for a temporary cease-fire, set to begin on Friday. The deal, mediated in part by Qatar, includes a four-day pause in hostilities, the exchange of 50 women and children held by Hamas for 150 Palestinian women and minors imprisoned in Israeli jails, and an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza. During the cease-fire, Israel's warplanes will not fly over southern Gaza and will only fly over the northern part of the territory for six hours each day. The pause is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Gaza time on Friday, with the release of the first group of 13 hostages starting at 4 p.m. Qatar will pass lists of hostages and prisoners between the two parties, with the International Committee of the Red Cross designated to receive the hostages. Israeli officials have said that the hostages will be freed in four groups, with the seriously injured transported by helicopter and the rest taken by bus to their home districts. It remains unclear whether the Palestinian prisoners will be released in stages. The Israeli government has published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners being considered for release, all of whom are described as "security prisoners" with charges including supporting terrorism and acts of violence. The Israeli prime minister's office has received an initial list of names of the hostages to be released, including at least 36 children and teenagers. The release is expected to include three Americans: two women and a toddler. The agreement comes after weeks of negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, the US, and Egypt, with Qatar playing a leading role. The deal has received criticism from some who argue that it does not bring an end to the war and that Israel should not have agreed to a ceasefire until all hostages were released. However, the majority of Israel's leadership approved the deal following pressure from the families of the hostages and concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza. The cease-fire and hostage release are seen as the first steps in a broader effort to end the conflict. It is worth noting that the cease-fire is temporary and if either side fails to uphold their end of the agreement, the war will resume.