Israel and Hamas agree to a four-day ceasefire to release hostages.

According to Israeli government statistics, Hamas is believed to have taken approximately 240 hostages when its forces launched a surprise invasion and attack on southern Israel on October 7th. Israel immediately declared war on Hamas, besieging and shelling Gaza, territory controlled by Hamas.

Photos of hostages captured by Hamas are posted on walls in Tel Aviv (Israel).

The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli government approved the ceasefire agreement in a vote held early on November 22. According to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, 50 hostages, including women and children, will be released by Hamas during the four-day ceasefire. The statement said that for every 10 hostages released, the ceasefire will be extended by one day, but did not mention Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.

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Hamas said 50 hostages would be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children being held in Israeli prisons. According to the Palestinian political -military group, the ceasefire agreement would also allow hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and fuel into Gaza. Israel also pledged not to attack or arrest anyone in any part of Gaza during the ceasefire, according to Reuters.

Several countries, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, UK, France, Russia, and China), have welcomed the first major diplomatic breakthrough between Hamas and Israel since the conflict erupted. "Today's agreement will bring more American hostages home, and I will not stop until all of them are released," said US President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Jordan and Qatar expressed hope that the agreement would help end the fighting.

Qatar and Egypt played a crucial mediating role in the efforts to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would continue the war until all its objectives were achieved, so that "no entity in Gaza could threaten Israel."

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