Israel-Gaza war: Hostage deal 'crucial step' to relieving Gaza humanitarian crisis, says Cameron

French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the agreement between Hamas and Israel. 

“We are working non-stop so that all the hostages are freed,” he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

The French presidency did not return requests for a comment on French media reports that three French hostages could be liberated initially.

The Israeli Defence Forces are continuing operations in Gaza as a ceasefire looms on the horizon. 

Israeli fighter jets are carrying out strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli Defence Forces. 

The IDF said that the targets include a military compound where terrorists had convened, alongside other infrastructure. 

The strikes follow rising tensions along the border and repeated attacks by Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions.

Pope Francis on Wednesday met separately with Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians with family in Gaza and said the conflict had gone beyond war to become “terrorism”.

Speaking in unscripted remarks at his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square shortly after the early morning meetings in his residence, Francis said he heard directly how “both sides are suffering”.

Six Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in Tolkurm camp in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement.

The Palestinians were targeted in an Israeli drone strike, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported earlier on Wednesday.

Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces near the city of Qalqilia, WAFA said, raising the number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to seven.

The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday welcomed a humanitarian truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a senior Palestinian official said.

“President Mahmud Abbas and the leadership welcome the humanitarian truce agreement, value the Qatari-Egyptian effort made and reaffirm the call for a comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and the entry of humanitarian aid,” senior official Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Palestinians injured as a result of the attacks of the Israeli army are being taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for treatment in Deir al-Balah, Gaza.

Jordan said on Wednesday it hoped the Gaza truce would be a step that would end the war in Gaza and prevent the targeting of Palestinians and their displacement from their land.

In a statement on state media, the foreign ministry said it hoped the four-day pause will allow much-needed humanitarian aid.

The Almagor Terror Victims Association is set to file a petition against the hostage and ceasefire deal in Israel’s high court at noon today.

In a letter to Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Almagor founder Meir Indoor said:

“Almagor demands to see the list of prisoners Israel is considering releasing as part of the deal.

“The organisation also demands to see all details of the commitments Israel is making to Hamas regarding restrictions on combat during the ceasefire period, including the cessation of intelligence gathering, as well as the delivery of fuel and other supplies which may help Hamas conduct terror operations against residents of Israel.’

“Additionally, they call on justice minister Yariv Levin to disclose ‘the general commitments Israel is making to Hamas that have been given directly or through a third party.’”

Operations by the Israeli Defence Forces are ongoing in Gaza, with strikes being carried out against infrastructure and ground clashes with Hamas fighters. 

The 7th Armored Brigade called in a number of airstrikes overnight, the IDF said, adding that the attacks were against sites where gunfire was directed at troops. 

Sheikh Za’id, near Jabaliya, was raided by troops from the Givati Infantry Brigade and a number of Hamas observation posts were destroyed. 

Several Hamas terrorists were killed as the Harel Armored Reserve Brigade struck Hamas tunnel infrastructure in northern Gaza, the IDF added. 

A building in northern Gaza sheltering Hamas operatives and weapons was also destroyed by the 261st Reserve Brigade, killing those inside.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is starting a regional tour following the announcement of the truce, the Nournews agency affiliated to Iran’s top security body reported on Wednesday.

“The visit is in line with Iran’s diplomatic efforts to halt the Zionist regime’s attacks on Gaza, lift the blockade and send humanitarian aid to the oppressed people of Gaza,” Nournews said.

Amirabdollahian will travel to Lebanon today.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said the temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was a “crucial step”.

Hamas will release dozens of hostages in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Lord Cameron said: 

“This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited.

“This pause provides an important opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid can reach Gaza on a sustained basis.

“We have already doubled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and will work closely with the UN to ensure it reaches those who need it.

“The UK will continue to work with all partners in the region to secure the release of all hostages, restore security and reach a long-term political solution which enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace.”

At least 53 journalists have been killed in the conflict since October 7, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 

The total includes 46 Palestinians, four Israelis and three Lebanese, the CPJ said. 

A reporter and photojournalist working for Lebanese media outlet Al Mayadeen are the most recent deaths. 

They were killed on Tuesday during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, where tensions have flared in recent weeks. 

The CPJ said that the conflict has been the deadliest period for journalists since it began tracking data in 1992. 

“CPJ is also investigating numerous unconfirmed reports of other journalists being killed, missing, detained, hurt, or threatened,” the statement added.

Israel provided details on Wednesday about Palestinian prisoners slated for release under a foreign-mediated deal to recover hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza, a publication that appeared intended to allow for any last-minute legal challenges.

The list posted on the Justice Ministry appeared to include 300 prisoners, twice the jailed 150 females and minors that Israel has agreed to free in return for 50 hostages.

France hopes its eight citizens believed held as hostages will be released as a result of a truce deal between Israel and Hamas, Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna said on Wednesday.

“We hope that there will be French people among the first batch of hostages to be released,” Colonna told France Inter radio.

Ursula Von der Leyen, European Commission President, says that she welcomes the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on the release of the 50 hostages and on a pause in hostilities in Gaza.

“The European Commission will do its utmost to use this pause for a humanitarian surge to Gaza,” she said in a statement.

As this picture of the United Nations delivering supplies on Tuesday shows, people in Gaza are desperate for basics like fresh water: 

Russia “welcomes” a humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, according to Moscow’s foreign ministry.

“Moscow welcomes the agreement between Israel and Hamas on a four-day humanitarian pause,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a post on Telegram.

Has Putin been trying to use the Israel-Palestine conflict to try to restore Russia’s reputation?

 Listen to expert analysis from Telegraph journalists

The family of American-Israeli hostage Abigail Edan are praying for the release of the little girl, who turns four on Friday.

“For our family, we have spent the last seven weeks...worrying, wondering, praying, hoping,” Abigail’s great aunty Liz Hirsh Naftali. told CNN.

“The one thing that we all hold on to is that hope now that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday...her 4th birthday. We need to see Abigail come out and then we will be able to believe it.”

Abigail’s parents were murdered at a kibbutz during the terror attack by Hamas on October 7. 

The White House issued a statement from the US President:

“Jill and I have been keeping all those held hostage and their loved ones close to our hearts these many weeks,” Mr Biden said. 

“I am extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls, who have endured weeks of captivity and an unspeakable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.”

He added: “Today’s deal should bring home additional American hostages, and I will not stop until they are all released.”

Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear Israel will continue fighting at the end of the ceasefire, declaring last night “we will continue the war” until “we achieve all our goals”. 

Qatari mediators, however, expressed hope the deal reached on Wednesday morning would lead to a permanent ceasefire.

Qatar’s chief negotiator, Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, told Reuters that the International Committee of the Red Cross would be working inside Gaza to facilitate the hostages’ release during the “intensive period”.

“We’re going to be 24/7 in direct communication with the ICRC and the two parties making sure that we perfect the release of the hostages,” Mr Al-Khulaifi said.

He said that the truce means there would be “no attack whatsoever. No military movements, no expansion, nothing.”

Mr Al-Khulaifi added that Qatar hopes the deal “will be a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire. And that’s our intention.”

He added: “In our understanding it’s the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a positive development to this very difficult and complicated crisis that we’re living.”

If everything goes to plan, the first of 50 hostages – all women and children – will be released by Hamas during a ceasefire to start as early as tomorrow.

Israel and Hamas have agreed on a complete pause in fighting for four days but that may be extended if the terror group frees more hostages, according to a US official who briefed journalists overnight.  

“In terms of proof of life, we are confident that the 50 are there and will come out and we we believe there are others being held in this category [women and children],” the official said, adding “we do anticipate it’ll be more than 50”.

If Hamas need “additional days” to collect extra hostages before releasing them “that’s something that we’ll deal with”, the official said. 

Washington also expressed hope the deal would lead to full pause in hostilities on the north of the Lebanese border.

Three Americans held by Hamas in Gaza since its attack on Israel last month are expected to be among at least 50 hostages to be released by the terrorist group, a senior US official said.

The three include a three-year-old girl whose parents were among the more than 1,200 people killed in Hamas’ initial Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.

The American girl, named Abigail, will turn four on Friday, the official said. The hostage group will also include two American women.

Initial releases of hostages are expected within 24 hours of the deal’s announcement, with the first likely to be freed on Thursday morning, the official said.

“I would say it’s at least 50 of the women and children over a period of four to five days,” the official said, without providing details of any other nationalities expected to be released.

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

“The provisions of this agreement were formulated according to the vision of the resistance and its determinants that aim to serve our people and enhance their steadfastness in the face of aggression,” a Hamas statement said.

We are hearing more about the mood inside the meeting room.

The vote passed after six hours of tense discussions in Tel Aviv.

Officials from Qatar, which has been mediating negotiations, as well as the US, Israel and Hamas had for days been saying a deal was imminent. 

But before the vote this morning there was believed to be a revolt by hard-Right coalition partners who were opposing the release of Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of aid to Gaza.

Urging ministers to support the ceasefire deal, Benjamin Netanyahu reminded his colleagues on Tuesday night that the hostages’ return was a “sacred and top goal”.

Israel says the first hostages to be released would be women and children.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stipulated during the government meeting that the agreement would include visits by the Red Cross to hostages who have not yet been released, as well as the supply of medicine.

According to Haaretz news agency, which cited a senior Israeli official, Hamas would be expected to release 30 kidnapped children, eight mothers and 12 more women.

We have just received confirmation that Israel’s government has approved a ceasefire deal with the Hamas militant group.