Israel and Hamas agree on truce to free hostages in swap, raising hopes of halting war in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day cease-fire in the war in Gaza — a breakthrough that will facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and bring a large influx of aid to the besieged territory, officials said Wednesday.

The truce raised hopes of eventually winding down the war, which was triggered by Hamas' October 7 rampage into southern Israel. Now in its seventh week, the conflict has levelled vast swaths of Gaza, fuelled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank, and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.

The Persian Gulf nation of Qatar announced the deal, and Egypt's state-run Qahera TV channel said the truce would take effect at 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) Thursday. Both countries, along with the United States, helped mediate the deal between Israel and Hamas.

Fifty hostages will be freed in stages, in exchange for the release of what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners. Both sides will let go women and children first.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume the war after the truce and keep fighting "until we achieve all our goals," including the destruction of Hamas' fighting and governing abilities and the return of all hostages.

Residents in Gaza City said the fighting there intensified overnight into Wednesday, with gunfire, heavy artillery and airstrikes in central neighbourhoods. "Apparently they want to advance before the truce," said Nasser al-Sheikh, who is sheltering with relatives in the city.

Palestinian militants continued firing rockets at Israel throughout the day, without causing casualties.

The announcement capped weeks of indirect, stop-and-go negotiations to free some of the roughly 240 hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during their October 7 raid. Hamas, which seized power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, is considered a terrorist group by Israel and the West.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the deal, saying Netanyahu committed to supporting an "extended pause." Several nations, including Britain, France, China and Russia, also welcomed the agreement.

Qatar's prime minister and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said he hoped the deal would eventually lead to a permanent cease-fire and "serious talks" on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel said that the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed by Hamas. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it can assist with any release.

Israel's Justice Ministry published a list of 300 prisoners eligible to be let out as part of the deal, mainly teenagers detained over the past year for rock-throwing and other minor offences. Under Israeli law, the public has 24 hours to object to any release.

The Israeli military says it has detained more than 1,850 Palestinians in the West Bank since the war began, mostly suspected Hamas members. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed there, mainly during battles triggered by army raids, and attacks by Jewish settlers have surged, deepening Palestinian despair.

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