The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will come into force at 7:00 tomorrow morning (Friday), and that at 4 pm Israel will receive the first thirteen hostages to be released by Hamas. The Mossad, Israel’s intelligence and special operations agency, has been handed a list of the names of all the hostages who will be released.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar said that over the four days of the ceasefire, the names of the other hostages will be relayed to Israel, and an increased quantity of humanitarian aid will be brought into the Gaza Strip. According to the spokesperson, the aim of the hostage deal is to bring about a general ceasefire.
Three Palestinian prisoners held in Israel are due to be freed for each hostage who returns.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held meetings in Jerusalem today with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgian prime minister Alexander de Cro, and with British foreign secretary David Cameron. Sanchez proposed the holding of an international peace conference with a view to the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
Reuters reports that Cameron, who visited Kibbutz Be’eri near the Gaza border, one of the worst affected places in the attack by Hamas on October 7, told Netanyahu: "I wanted to come here in person ... to see just the true nature of the horrific attacks that you faced, I think that's very important to do that and see that, we stand with the people of Israel." "There's no hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, between Israel and the Arab states, if we don't eradicate this murderous movement that threatens the future of all of us," Netanyahu responded.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 23, 2023.
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