Tentative truce between Israel and Hamas set to begin Thursday

New Delhi, Nov 22: Hamas has announced a four-day pause in the ongoing conflict with Israel, scheduled to commence at 10 am on Thursday. While Israel is yet to confirm the timing of the pause officially, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen anticipates the release of the first hostages on Thursday.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy head of Hamas's political bureau, shared with al-Jazeera that the pause is expected to begin on Thursday, coinciding with the initiation of the hostage release.

An Egyptian security source, cited by Reuters, revealed that mediators aim for the truce to commence at 10 am on Thursday, allowing a "few hours" before the initiation of the hostage release by Hamas.

According to a spokesperson from Israel’s Defence Ministry, the truce will likely take effect "sometime tomorrow." Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, quoted by Reuters, expressed his expectation that Israel would receive the first hostages on Thursday, although he refrained from confirming the exact timing.

Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, assured the BBC that the government is committed to doing "everything that can be done to have all the hostages released." He clarified that individuals selected for release under the overnight deal with Hamas were chosen based on categories, with priority given to women and children.

Under the agreement, Hamas is set to release 50 Israeli hostages, while Israel will free 150 Palestinian women and teenagers held in its jails.

Families of those held in Gaza emphasize the urgency of the situation, stating that every captive "needs to come home," and each passing hour is "critical." There is a possibility of an additional release of up to 150 Palestinians and 50 more hostages from Gaza following the initial four-day pause.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan cautiously welcomed the news, stating, "It’s good news.. but only one step in the right direction." He expressed hope for extended pauses leading to a ceasefire during a press conference in London, where Arab foreign ministers gathered to convey a unified message to the world - the immediate cessation of violence in Gaza.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged the development but stressed that more efforts are needed to end the suffering of civilians and called for continued action to free the remaining hostages. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres deemed the truce an "important step in the right direction" but emphasized the necessity for further actions to achieve lasting peace.