Israel-Hamas Agree for Ceasefire & Release of 50 Hostages

Israel’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a cease-fire deal with the Hamas militant group. This is expected to stop the devastating war that continued for over six weeks. This ceasefire will also mean the release of some hostages being held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians lodged in Israeli prisons.

Hamas will free 50 of the 240 hostages. The Israeli government said it would extend the ceasefire by an additional day for every 10 hostages released. Women and children will be the first hostages to be released.

But before Wednesday morning’s Cabinet vote on the ceasefire decision, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume its offensive against Hamas after the cease-fire expires.

It has not been declared when the ceasefire deal will come into effect.

The recent conflict between Hamas and Israel started on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel and killed at least 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 240 hostages.

Israel retaliated by airstrikes and a ground invasion, killing more than 11,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and minors.