Israel and Hamas Agree to Four-Day Truce on Friday, Facilitated by Qatar Mediators

Israel and Hamas Entering Four-Day Truce with Hostage Release

DOHA/GAZA, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Ahead of the ceasefire starting on Friday morning, a spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing called for “an escalation of the confrontation with (Israel) on all resistance fronts”, referring to “this temporary truce” in a video message. The truce is anticipated to involve a comprehensive ceasefire in north and south Gaza and will release hostages, including elderly women, from the Gaza Strip. Mediators in Qatar mentioned that the first group of Israeli women and child hostages would be released later that day. Additional aid will start flowing into Gaza, and the total number of hostages to be freed is expected to rise to 50 over the four days.

The truce, mediated by Qatar’s foreign ministry, on the first in a brutal, near seven-week-old war, is set to begin at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said it was also expected that Palestinians would be released from Israeli jail. “We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce.”

Egypt is receiving lists of hostages and prisoners that are expected to be released, and has called on both sides to respect the agreement. A U.S. State Department official expressed hope for the release of all remaining hostages, saying, “While this is a hopeful moment, our work is not yet done.”

Israel launched its devastating invasion of Gaza in response to an attack by Hamas gunmen, with thousands of people killed and wounded amid the ongoing conflict.In light of this, international mediators are trying to turn the truce deal into a longer cessation of hostilities, but both sides have said they will go back to fighting. Reports show that both countries have committed to retrieving hostages and promoting peace.

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Palestinians gather as others search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Rafah, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in the southern Gaza Strip November 23. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Acquire Licensing Rights, opens new tab

The delay to the truce start meant another day of worry for Israeli relatives, while Palestinian families remained trapped inside the combat zone. International alarm has focused on the fate of hospitals, especially in Gaza’s northern half, where medical facilities and people are both trapped.

Reporting by Reuters bureaux Writing by Peter Graff and Andrew Heavens Editing by William Maclean and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles with Reuters adds

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