A hostage deal is expected to bring the first break in the fight between Israel and Hamas.
What happened: As of writing, a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to begin this morning after both sides reached a deal to free hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
- According to the reported terms of the deal, Hamas will release 50 hostages, including three Americans, while Israel will release 150 jailed Palestinians.
- The deal, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., was expected to start yesterday but was delayed after Hamas failed to hand over its complete list of hostages.
Why it matters: The deal will be the first pause in fighting since roughly 250 people were taken hostage during the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas in Israel over six weeks ago.
What’s next: Israel will also allow more aid to flow into Hamas-controlled Gaza to alleviate shortages of fuel, food, and other supplies. A second stage of the deal could extend the pause in fighting another day for every 10 additional hostages released.—SB