Israel has reached a deal with Hamas to secure the release of 50 women and children kidnapped by the terror group on 7th October, in exchange for a four-day ceasefire.
It comes as Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said that more than 14,000 people, including 5,000 children, have been killed in Israel’s campaign since the October 7th attack.
Under the agreement secured overnight, 150 Palestinian women and children will be freed from prisons in Israel, while hundreds of trucks carrying aid will be allowed to enter Gaza.
The deal comes after weeks of talks mediated by Qatar, and under sustained pressure from the U.S, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreeing to urge his Ministers to back the ceasefire.
Netanyahu, however, warned that the war would continue after the ceasefire – while Qatar expressed hope this morning that the cessation of hostilities would prompt further agreements, and perhaps even a permanent ceasefire.
The hostages’ return was a “sacred and top goal”, Mr Netanyahu told ministers in a video address, adding “we will not stop until we have total victory”.
The country’s government insisted the pause in fighting would not signal the end of the war, as it reiterated its commitment to “complete the elimination of Hamas.”
This morning, France’s foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, said that there were too many civilian deaths in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and that this was “unworthy of a democracy”. She added that the Israel-Hamas deal was “a moment of real hope”.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported that “Israeli air raids have intensified during the last couple of hours across the Gaza Strip” and “conditions remain dire”.
Around 250 hostages are believed to be being held by Hamas, over six weeks on from the terror attack on Israel which killed 1,200 people.
Hamas, meanwhile, said that 150 Palestinian women and teenagers will be released from Israeli jails under the agreement.
The truce will also mean the creation of a safe passage of fuel, food, medicine and other humanitarian aid into Gaza, Hamas said.
The Associated Press reports from Dubai that the International Committee of the Red Cross says it is standing by to assist any swap in the Israel-Hamas war.
It quotes the organisation as saying: “Currently, we are actively engaged in talks with the parties to help carry out any humanitarian agreement they reach. As a neutral intermediary, it is important to clarify that we are not part of the negotiations, and we do not make decisions on the substance of it. Our role is to facilitate the implementation, once the parties agree.”
The long-awaited breakthrough was announced early on Wednesday morning, at about 1am Irish time, following six hours of talks between government ministers in Tel Aviv.
In a statement, the Israeli government stressed that it was “committed to the return of all” of the hostages.
It comes as the father of Irish-Israeli hostage, 9-year-old Emily Hand, pleaded for her release, telling the press he would not believe in any deal between Israeli and Hamas until he sees his daughter.
Thomas Hand was present alongside other parents of Hamas hostages at a press conference held at the Israeli embassy in London on Monday. Amid growing hopes of a deal, he said: “That’d be very great for everyone concerned on both sides. It gives me hope, but until I see her, until I’m holding her I won’t believe anything. Until I see it, I won’t believe it.”
Mr Hand, 63, whose daughter Emily was originally believed to be among the dead after the October 7 attacks, spoke of spending his daughter’s birthday, which was on the 17th November, without her – describing it as one of his darkest days since her kidnapping.
“I know the Israeli government and the army will do everything in their capabilities to get them back,” he said, expressing hope in the deal.
“My sole purpose in life now is to do everything I can to get my little daughter Emily back,” said Hand, who is originally from Dún Laoghaire but lived and worked in the Be’eri kibbutz for 20 years. “Nothing else concerns me,” he said.
Hamas has so far released only four hostages, and has claimed that as many as 30 have been killed by Israeli bombing in Gaza.
In an update shared on Wednesday, Irish-Israeli citizen Emily Hand is among a list of potential hostages to be freed, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office:
List of potential hostages to be released. Provided by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office:
-Kfir Bibs – ten months old, his brother Ariel, 4, and mother Shiri Bibs. Father Jordan was kidnapped with them, and will remain captive.
-Emily Hand, 9.
-Yuval Engel, 11, (her sister…
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