Hamas: what we know about the temporary truce and hostage release agreement – ​​L’Express

“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 press release in Hebrew from the government sent to AFP.

The agreement to release hostages is “the right decision” to take, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Tuesday evening before the start of his cabinet meeting which continued early Wednesday with this green light. Around 240 people were kidnapped during the bloody attack launched on October 7 against Israel by the Islamist movement in power in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, whose leader Ismaïl Haniyeh had reported progress in the talks, welcomed a “humanitarian truce” agreement, specifying that the “provisions of this agreement were formulated in accordance with the vision of the resistance”. After statements from the Israeli government and Hamas, the authorities of Qatar, the Gulf emirate at the center of the truce talks, confirmed an agreement for a “humanitarian pause” in the Gaza Strip.

“The start of this pause will be announced in the next 24 hours and will last four days, with the possibility of extension,” the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared on X, welcoming the “success” of its joint mediation with Egypt and United States.

Doha has been working for weeks with Washington and Cairo to obtain the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for that of Palestinian prisoners and a truce in the fighting.

The United States expects that “more than 50” hostages will be released by Hamas in Gaza following a truce agreement announced with Israel, a senior White House official said, specifying that three American nationals were among the hostages to be released. US President Joe Biden said he was “extraordinarily satisfied” with the agreement.

A senior Hamas official told AFP he expected “a first exchange of 10 hostages for 30 prisoners to be carried out on Thursday” and that this “truce could be extended”.

After 50 hostages freed, “the release of ten additional hostages will lead to an additional day of pause” in the fighting, the Israeli government said. “Hamas and other armed factions must release all hostages immediately,” said Omar Shakir, director of Human Rights Watch for Israel and the Palestinian Territories, saying the blockage of essential aid also stood, as the taking of hostages, a “war crime”.

This truce agreement does not mean the end of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Tuesday evening, saying he wanted a “full force” resumption of operations after the truce in order to “undo” Hamas and “create the necessary conditions to bring home other hostages.”

“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,” the government also confirmed after its vote.

“We confirm that our hands will remain on the trigger and that our triumphant battalions will remain on the lookout,” warned Hamas for its part.

International organizations and many foreign capitals are increasing calls for a ceasefire or truce in the face of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the small besieged territory, where the war has destroyed entire neighborhoods, devastated the health system and resulted in massive population movements.