Israel has agreed to a deal with Hamas to secure the release of 50 women and children kidnapped by the terror group in exchange for a four-day ceasefire. 

The agreement will also see 150 Palestinian women and children set free from prisons in Israel, as well as the entry of hundreds convoys of trucks carrying fuel, food and medicine into Gaza. 

Hamas is believed to be holding around 250 hostages, kidnapped when terrorists surged into Israel on 7 October, killing 1,200 people. 

Following weeks of intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, and under pressure from the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to urge his ministers to vote for the ceasefire. His office announced the breakthrough early on Wednesday at the conclusion of six-hours of emotional debate between ministers in Tel Aviv.

“The Israeli government is committed to the return of all abductees home,” the government said. 

It added: “Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 abductees — women and children — will be released for 4 days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting.”

Israel also said it would extend the “respite” by an additional day for every 10 hostages freed. 

The deal, which was announced shortly before 1am UK time, cannot go into effect for at least 24 hours to give time for Israeli judges to review potential legal challenges to the prisoner release. That means the first hostages would not be released until Thursday morning at the earliest. 

Hopes child will be released by her birthday

It is thought 30 children, eight mothers and 12 more women will be handed over by Hamas during the four-day pause in hostilities.

Among those expected to be freed are three Americans, including American-Israeli hostage Abigail Edan, who turns four on Friday. Both her parents were murdered by Hamas during the October terror attack.

Abigail was in her father’s arms when he was shot by Hamas terrorists who later snatched her and members of a neighbouring family, according to Abigail’s great aunty Liz Hirsh Naftali.

Her older siblings witnessed the murder of their parents and only survived by hiding in a wardrobe.

“For our family, we have spent the last seven weeks...worrying, wondering, praying, hoping,” Ms 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.”

Reacting to the news that dozens of hostages including Americans could soon be coming home, the US President said he “will not stop until they are all released”. 

“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,” Joe Biden said.

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

Pause would allow aid workers into Gaza

The truce deal will create a safe passage for humanitarian aid and supplies to enter Gaza, Hamas said.

Israel had committed not to attack or arrest anyone in all parts of Gaza during the truce period, the terror group added.

A senior US administration official said it was hoped Hamas would be encouraged to release all of the kidnapped women and children, with the deal “structured to incentivise releases beyond 50”.

The official said: “In terms of proof of life, we are confident that the 50 are there and will come out, and we believe there are others being held in this category [women and children].” 

He added that the pause in fighting would allow Hamas to “collect the additional women and children” it has been concealing since Oct 7 and the White House anticipates more would be released.

“Hamas never said we have this many [women and children] we’re only going to release 40 per cent, it is all [of them] and that’s how it works,” the official added.

Qatar expressed hope on Wednesday morning that the deal secured overnight would lead to further agreements and a permanent ceasefire. But that was at odds with the sentiment of Mr Netanyahu who before the cabinet meeting vowed Israel would continue the war against Hamas after the pause in hostilities.

The hostages’ return was a “sacred and top goal”, Mr Netanyahu said in a video message to ministers, “but we will not stop until we have total victory”.