Israel and Hamas have this morning agreed a deal for the release of 50 women and children hostages held in Gaza in return for 150 Palestinian women and children to be freed from Israeli jails during a four-day ceasefire.
The first hostage release is expected on tomorrow morning, and the total number of hostages freed could rise. The truce, meanwhile, will also allow the entry of “a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid,” key negotiator Qatar said in a statement. The starting time of the pause in fighting will be announced within the next 24 hours, the statement added.
Welcoming the news, the UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:
"This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited.
This pause provides an important opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid can reach Gaza on a sustained basis. We have already doubled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and will work closely with the UN to ensure it reaches those who need it.
The UK will continue to work with all partners in the region to secure the release of all hostages, restore security and reach a long-term political solution which enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace."