Israel's President Isaac Herzog says hostage deal 'painful' but backs Netanyahu's decision

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas is “painful,” in the first public comment made by an Israeli leader since the agreement was reached. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Herzog said, “The difficulties are understandable,” adding that he supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision. “This is a moral and ethical obligation that correctly expresses the Jewish and Israeli value of redeeming captives and I hope that it will be a significant first step to return all the abductees home,” he wrote. The war between Israel and Hamas reached a breakthrough on Wednesday after both sides agreed to a four-day pause in fighting to allow the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza by the terrorist group.

A statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said 50 women and children will be released over four days, during which there will be a pause in fighting.

For every additional 10 hostages released, the pause would be extended by another day, it said, without mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

The starting time of the truce would be announced within the next 24 hours, it said in a statement.

The accord is the first truce of a war in which Israeli bombardments have flattened swathes of Hamas-ruled Gaza, killed 13,300 civilians in the tiny densely populated enclave and left about two-thirds of its 2.3 million people homeless, according to authorities in Gaza.

With inputs from agencies