Israel Agrees To Deal For Release Of 50 Hostages, Hamas Welcomes 'Truce'

Hamas released a statement welcoming the "humanitarian truce", which it said would also see 150 Palestinians released from Israeli jails.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce that would see the Palestinian group release dozens of hostages taken on October 7, both sides announced Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet approved the accord after a near-all-night meeting, in which he told reticent ministers this was a "difficult decision but it's a right decision."

A government spokesman told AFP that under the agreement at least 50 Israeli and foreign hostages would be released -- women and children -- in return for a four-day "lull" in military operations.