Israel and Hamas have struck a deal to release hostages, bringing a momentary pause to the ongoing conflict that has plagued the region for 47 days.

During a four-day ceasefire, Israel is set to release 150 Palestinian women and teenagers from its detention, while Hamas will reciprocate by freeing 50 hostages held in Gaza.

Hostage Exchange: A Humanitarian Truce: The agreement hinges on a hostage exchange — a humanitarian truce designed to provide relief to innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

• The agreement brokered with the assistance of Qatar aims to usher in a four-day ceasefire, offering a ray of hope in a landscape marked by tensions and turmoil.
• Hamas confirmed an agreement had been reached, calling it a “humanitarian truce”.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, in early announcements on Wednesday, revealed intentions to announce the deal’s start time within the next 24 hours.

Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk announced that the truce is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Marzouk mentioned that a majority of the hostages set to be released possess foreign citizenship, although he did not specify whether they also hold Israeli passports. However, Israel has yet to confirm this statement.

Expected Actions in the Four-Day Period: During the upcoming four-day period, specific actions are anticipated as part of the ceasefire agreement:

• Hamas is expected to release 50 hostages from Gaza.
• Israel will reciprocate by releasing 150 Palestinian women and teenagers currently detained in Israeli facilities.
• Furthermore, the extension of the ceasefire will be contingent on the ongoing release of hostages. For every additional 10 hostages freed, an extra day will be added to the ceasefire duration.
• Israel has committed to freeing “up to” another 150 Palestinian detainees if “up to” another 50 hostages are released from Gaza.

While the exact ceasefire commencement remains unspecified, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assures the release of the first hostages within 48 hours of the agreement.

Families of the hostages anxiously await news to learn if their loved ones will be among those set for release. The initial hostage liberation is anticipated on Thursday morning, with the possibility of an increase in the total number of hostages freed.

Identity and Numbers of Palestinian Detainees: Israel has disclosed a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israeli jails.

• Notably, a majority of the detainees are teenage males, predominantly aged between 17 and 18 years old, with the overall age range spanning from 14 to 59 years.
• An overwhelming majority of the listed detainees, accounting for 274 out of 300, are male.

According to Human Rights Watch, the number of Palestinians currently in Israeli detention stands at around 7,000 individuals, including approximately 200 women and nearly 60 children.

Relief in the Conflict Zone: The impending ceasefire is anticipated to bring much-needed relief, particularly for the Palestinian population, allowing the ingress of vital humanitarian, medical, and fuel supplies. President Biden has expressed optimism that this provision will”alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza”.

Qatari Support and Expectations for the Ceasefire: Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister, expressed gratitude to the U.S. and Egypt for their pivotal role.

• Al Thani conveyed his hope that this agreement would pave the way for a “comprehensive and sustainable agreement” that would “put an end to the war and the bloodshed”.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, hailed the hostage deal as “the result of tireless diplomacy and relentless effort across the department and broader US government”. However, he asserted that efforts would persist until all hostages held by Hamas are released.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, announced a “temporary tactical suspension” of fighting in two areas in Khan Younis, situated in the south of Gaza. While Israel has previously announced intermittent “mini pauses” in fighting, this four-day ceasefire stands as the first comprehensive cessation across the entire Gaza Strip since October 7.