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Timing for the Israel-Hamas pause in fighting to be announced in the next 24 hours

- Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 6 months ago No Comments 3,629 Views

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike after a military raid in the town of Tulkarem, West Bank (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

A cease-fire agreement between the Hamas militant group and Israel has been confirmed by both parties, along with Washington and Qatar, which helped broker the deal that would bring a temporary halt to the devastating war that is now in its seventh week.

The Israeli government said that under an outline of the deal, Hamas is to free over a four-day period at least 50 of the roughly 240 hostages taken in its Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Qatar later confirmed the deal, saying the start time will be announced in the next 24 hours and it will last four days.

The agreement would bring the first respite to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 11,000 people have been killed, according to health authorities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before the Cabinet voted early today (Wednesday) to back the agreement that the war would continue even if a deal was reached. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.