Israel's deal with Hamas to set free 50 hostages

A FOUR-DAY pause in the war between Israel and Hamas is due to begin today after both sides agreed a deal to release 50 hostages.

- Mark Reynolds

The halt in hostilities is set to formally begin at 10 am and - if successful will be the first break in fighting since the terrorist group's October 7 atrocities.

In exchange for the 50 women and children captives, Hamas said that 150 Palestinian women and teenagers would be released from Israeli jails. 

Supplies

Also within the terms of the agreement thrashed out overnight yesterday, it added that hundreds of lorries of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel would be allowed into the devastated war-torn strip.

It comes as a British father of 12-year-old twins killed in last month's deadly raid in southern Israel described his harrowing loss.

Gavin Heller, who lives in North London, said the "unfathomable, unimaginable, unspeakable has happened to my gorgeous children".

His son Yannai and daughter Liel Hetzroni-Heller were murdered at Kibbutz Be'eri. The siblings were raised in Israel by their great aunt who also died in the massacre of 1,200 people which triggered the current conflict.

The deal for the hostage/prisoner exchange had been mainly brokered by Qatar.