Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:04am on 22 Nov 2023,Wednesday International
Israel and Hamas announced a deal Wednesday for a four-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange hostages. Israel will free 150 Palestinian women and children prisoners held in Israeli jails in return for 50 hostages held by Hamas. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the "first hostages should be free within 48 hours" and the truce will extend "for every 10 more hostages released." Hamas called it a "humanitarian truce" allowing aid entry and prisoner releases. Qatar’s foreign ministry said early on Wednesday that the start time of the deal would be announced in the next 24 hours. US Secretary Antony Blinken hailed "tireless diplomacy" leading to "significant progress". The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron urged full implementation so "life-saving aid can reach Gaza." Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s foreign minister, will make a regional tour following the deal's announcement. Despite the truce deal, Israel's military continues "striking terrorist infrastructure" in Gaza. Al Jazeera reports, “Israeli air raids have intensified during the last couple of hours across the Gaza Strip” and “conditions remain dire”
