Israel and Hamas initiated a four-day ceasefire beginning on Friday. During this period, the militants are scheduled to release 13 Israeli women and child hostages later in the day, and aid is expected to enter the besieged Gaza enclave. This marks the first temporary halt in the nearly seven-week-long conflict, Al-Arabiya reported.
The truce began at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), involving a omprehensive ceasefire in north and south Gaza, and was to be followed by the release of some of the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack inside Israel, mediators in Qatar said. A number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons were to be freed in exchange.
