Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) reached an agreement this Wednesday for a “humanitarian pause” in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli bombings have killed more than 14,100 Palestinians, in a pact that includes the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has stated that, “after difficult and complex negotiations for many days”, the parties have reached a humanitarian truce agreement, which requires the cessation of military actions by the Israeli Army, which will last four days and which has been achieved with the “tireless efforts by Qatar and Egypt.” The Palestinian militia will release 50 hostages and in exchange Israel will release 150 prisoners who are in its jails, all of them women and minors under 19 years of age.

During the truce, Israeli authorities, who have pledged not to arrest or attack anyone in the Gaza Strip, will stop flying over the southern part of the enclave completely and the northern area for six hours a day. The pact also includes the entry of a greater number of convoys with humanitarian aid, medical goods and fuel.”to all areas of Gaza without exception“, as the militia explained in a statement. Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, a mediator with Egypt and the United States, has indicated that the “humanitarian pause” will be announced in the next 24 hours and has confirmed the conditions between the parties, and has reaffirmed its “commitment to ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, stop bloodshed and protect civilians.”

This agreement has been made public after Israel’s emergency cabinet —formed after the Hamas offensive and made up of 38 ministers— approved in the early hours of this Wednesday, after meeting for more than eight hours, a temporary ceasefire, alleging that it is “committed” to bringing “all the kidnapped people home,” without this meaning the end of the conflict. “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will continue the war to bring back all the abductees, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that Gaza does not renew any threats against Israel,” the prime minister’s office stressed in a statement. release.

“It is foolish to suggest that we will stop the war after the ceasefire to return the hostages.”

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli president

In said letter he has indicated that the agreement includes the release of at least 50 hostages over “a period of four days in which there will be a pause in the fighting”, while they will add one day to the truce for every ten additional released, but has not given more details about the other concessions previously mentioned. The Administration of Benjamin Netanyahu has not made public at the moment the details of the vote, since some political parties had shown their opposition to the agreement before the vote. However, according to the Ynet news portal, the ministers of Religious Zionism – such as the head of Finance, the far-right Bezalel Smotrich – – would have finally voted in favor, while those of Otsmá Yehudit, of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, would have voted against.

At the beginning of the cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the agreement includes Red Cross visits to hostages who will not be released, as well as medications. Furthermore, he added that this truce does not mean the end of the Israeli offensive in the enclave. “We will not stop the war after the ceasefire (…) It is nonsense to suggest that we will stop the war after the ceasefire to return the hostages. I would like to make it clear: we are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our objectives: eliminate Hamas, return all the hostages and missing people and guarantee that there will be no threat to Israel in Gaza,” he said.

Biden celebrates the agreement

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has celebrated the humanitarian pause and prisoner exchange agreement reached during the early hours of this Wednesday between the Government of Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). “Today’s agreement It is a testament to tireless diplomacy and the determination of many dedicated people throughout the United States Government to bring Americans home,” Biden said in a White House statement in which he also thanked Egypt and Qatar “for their decisive leadership and collaboration “.

Besides, has shown his “appreciation” for the commitment of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to support a “prolonged pause” in the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and “alleviate” the suffering of the population. “It is important that all aspects of this agreement be fully implemented. (…) As president, I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world. That is why, from the first moments of the brutal Hamas assault, my national security team and I have worked closely with regional partners to do everything possible to secure the release of our fellow citizens,” he said.

For his part, the director for Israel and Palestine of the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW), Omar Shakir, has stated after the announcement of a “humanitarian pause” in the Gaza Strip that “Whether there is a ceasefire or not, the illegal attacks must stop.” and has emphasized that “human beings are not currency.” “Taking hostages is a war crime and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups need to free them all, immediately. But blocking the delivery of life-saving aid and fuel until the hostages are freed is a war crime that has endangered the lives of 2.2 million people at risk,” he declared.

In recent days there has been speculation about the agreement for the release of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 during an offensive that also killed nearly 1,200 people and motivated the IDF response, which has been settled with nearly 14,100 Palestinians dead in Gaza.