Truce deal set to free hostages in swap, raising hopes of halting worst Mideast violence in decades

The main focus of the truce is to halt the devastating war in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Qatar played a key role in mediating the truce, along with involvement from the United States and Egypt in stop-and-go talks to secure the release of hostages.

Fifty hostages will be released in stages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, as stated by Hamas.

Both sides will release women and children first, and humanitarian aid to Gaza will be increased. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also stated that Israel will resume the war after the truce to achieve its goals.

The conflict has caused vast destruction in northern Gaza, displaced over 1.7 million people, and resulted in severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials throughout the territory. Gaza has also experienced a territory-wide power blackout due to the cut-off of fuel imports.

President Joe Biden welcomed the truce and expressed support for an “extended pause” to ensure the release of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Qatar’s prime minister expressed hope that the truce would eventually lead to a permanent cease-fire and serious talks on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.