Qatar says start time of pause to be announced within 24 hours
The starting time for the agreement between Israel and Hamas to pause fighting in Gaza and release hostages will be announced within 24 hours, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.
The pause will last for an initial four days and is “subject to extension,” it said in a post on X this morning. Qatar was influential in brokering the deal.
As per the agreement, 50 civilian hostages will be released from Gaza in exchange for the pause and a number of Palestinian women and children to be freed from Israeli prisons.
Biden thanks leaders of Qatar and Egypt after hostage deal
President Biden thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi following announcements of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to release some hostages.
Biden said in a statement that the leaders of Qatar and Egypt provided “critical leadership and partnership in reaching this deal.”
Biden also thanked Netanyahu and his government. The agreement is for Hamas to release at least 50 hostages in return for a four-day pause in the fighting and for Israel to release some Palestinians imprisoned in its jails, officials said.
Biden said that he and first lady Jill Biden “have been keeping all those held hostage and their loved ones close to our hearts these many weeks, and I am extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls, who have endured weeks of captivity and an unspeakable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.”