New Delhi: A four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war has taken effect and exchange of hostages is expected to take place later today, mediator Qatar said. The four-day pause in fighting comes after nearly seven weeks of intense fighting.The ceasefire began at 10.30 am IST, while the first group of hostages will be released by Hamas hours later, around 7.30 pm IST, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry. The “first batch” of civilian hostages would consist of 13 women and children from the same families.
The number would rise up to 50 over the four days, according to the deal brokered by Qatar and the US.The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was in contact with the families of the hostages after receiving “a first list of names” of those due to be released.Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would also be released on Friday, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said, adding a list of names had been approved, without saying how many.The accord was orchestrated by Qatar and the US and officially announced earlier this week. The secretive effort included tense personal diplomatic engagement by US President Joe Biden, who held a number of urgent conversations with the emir of Qatar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the weeks leading up to the deal
