Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas will start a four-day truce on Friday morning with the first batch of Israeli hostages released later that day, mediators in Qatar said.
The release of hostages under a temporary truce between Hamas militants and Israel will not happen before Friday, Israel's national security adviser said on Wednesday night.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a four-day truce aiming to release 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. The hostages, taken in an October 7 raid, primarily consist of women and children, including three U.S. citizens. The truce involves incremental releases over four days, and additional batches extend the ceasefire. It encompasses temporary airspace halts and aims to permit aid into Gaza, reeling from fuel shortages and depleted hospitals.