An official in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced today (Wednesday) that the humanitarian truce agreement with Israel in the Gaza Strip will begin tomorrow (Thursday) at 10 am.

Hamas Political Bureau member Musa Abu Marzouk said in a call with Xinhua News Agency that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin tomorrow, Thursday, at 10 a.m., noting that the majority of the fifty detainees who will be released hold foreign nationalities.

Abu Marzouk said in a statement to Al Jazeera satellite channel that the agreement with Israel, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, includes the release of 50 detained women and children in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons.

He added that Hamas is ready for a comprehensive ceasefire and prisoner exchange with Israel.

The State of Qatar announced the success of the joint mediation efforts with Egypt and the United States between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), as it resulted in reaching an agreement on a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip that will last for 4 days and can be extended, and the timing of its start will be announced within the next 24 hours.

The agreement includes the exchange of 50 civilian women and children prisoners in the Gaza Strip in the first phase, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons, provided that the number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement.

The truce will also allow the entry of a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel designated for humanitarian needs.

De-escalation

Qatar affirmed the continuation of its diplomatic efforts to reduce the escalation, stop bloodshed, and protect civilians, appreciating in this regard the efforts made by the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States in supporting mediation efforts to reach this agreement.

In this context, US President Joe Biden appreciated the humanitarian truce agreement in Gaza, and thanked both the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for their “decisive leadership and partnership in reaching this agreement.”

Biden said, "This agreement is supposed to bring more American hostages home," stressing that he will not stop until all of them are released.

The US President continued, "I appreciate Netanyahu's pledge to support the truce to ensure the implementation of the agreement and provide additional aid to alleviate the suffering of families in Gaza."

A senior American official also praised Qatar's role in reaching the agreement, and said - in an official briefing - that an agreement had been reached regarding the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal, and it would include the release of 50 women and children in Gaza in exchange for Israel releasing a number of prisoners.

For its part, the Israeli government ratified - at dawn on Wednesday - the deal to exchange prisoners and detainees in Gaza with Hamas and establish a temporary truce in the Strip, according to an official statement.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies