Qatar hints four-day humanitarian pause in Gaza subject to extension

The Qatari foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Hamas and Israel have agreed on a humanitarian pause in Gaza hostilities for four days, subject to an extension, the starting time of which will be announced within the next 24 hours. The humanitarian pause, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States includes the release of 50 civilian women and children hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons, the ministry said in a statement. “The number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementation of the agreement,” the ministry said. Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Israeli Cabinet approved a cease-fire deal with the Hamas militant group that would bring a temporary halt to a devastating war that has stretched on for over a month and half and release dozens of hostages being held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli prisons. As part of the deal, Hamas is to free 50 of the roughly 240 hostages it is holding in the Gaza Strip over a four-day period, the Israeli government said on Wednesday. It said it would extend the lull by an additional day for every 10 hostages released. The Israeli government said the first hostages to be released would be women and children. Ahead of Wednesday morning’s Cabinet vote, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume its offensive against Hamas after the cease-fire expires.