50 abductees will be released in four days: The government approved tonight (between Tuesday and Wednesday) the outline of the deal signed with Hamas. The deal will take place over a period of four days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting, with about 12 Israelis – a total of 50 abducted Israeli civilians – women and children – released every evening. The release of every ten additional abductees will result in another day of respite.
As part of the deal, a number of security prisoners, women and young people under the age of 18, will be released without blood on their hands as promised by the government. The list of prisoners expected to be released has been published, and the public has now been given 24 hours to appeal the move to the High Court.
It was agreed that the possibility of releasing more men and women would be opened after the initial release. Netanyahu, Galant and Gantz pledged to continue the ground maneuver immediately after the ceasefire ended, to continue operations in the southern Gaza Strip and all parts of it. In addition, the agreement was also approved that the Red Cross would visit all the abductees and provide them with medicines that the families had prepared for them, as suggested yesterday by Minister Yisrael Katz.
Netanyahu to ministers at start of Cabinet meeting: "We have before us a difficult but correct decision - we have before us an improved outline" // GPO
Regular updates
09:44: China welcomes agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas: China's Foreign Ministry expressed hope that a lull in the fighting would ease the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
09:44: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron: The agreement between Hamas and Israel is a "critical step" for the continuation and called on all sides to "fulfill the details of the agreement."
09:31: The International Committee of the Red Cross responded to a request from Israel Hayom: "We stand ready to support the implementation of any agreement that will bring relief to the victims of the conflict. We are in contact with the parties to assist in the execution of any humanitarian agreement reached. As a neutral mediator, we are not part of the negotiations, and do not make decisions related to its contents. Our role is to enable the implementation of the agreement, after the parties reach an agreement."
07:37: List of prisoners expected to be released published. These include youths arrested on charges of supporting terrorism, aggravated bodily injury, nationalist-motivated arson, malicious or negligent damage to property, weapons/ammunition/explosives. and a number of women and young people under the age of 18, without blood on their hands as promised by the government.The public will now be given 24 hours to appeal the move to the High Court of Justice before the sides hold the fire for at least four days, and the exchange of hostages and prisoners begins.
07:37 a.m.: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: "While we look forward to welcoming those who will soon be released home, we will continue to share the piercing pain of the hostages who remain held in Gaza and their families. This agreement will give the International Committee of the Red Cross access to deal with the hostages who remain in Gaza for the first time since they were taken on October 7, and I will continue to fight for their safe release until every hostage is freed from the evil grasp of Hamas.
The fact that this agreement will make it possible to stop hostilities and release hostages and provide additional humanitarian aid to Gaza to the millions of innocent Palestinians who have no connection to Hamas is a positive development."
"The Senate will continue to work to deliver additional humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinians, and to ensure that Israel has the assistance it needs to defend itself to ensure that Hamas cannot again pose such a threat to Israel. We must continue the hard work of building a lasting peace in the region and build towards a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side with equal dignity and security."
07:33: U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken: "The United States welcomes the deal to release 50 hostages, including American citizens, held by Hamas. I can't imagine the ordeal each of these people has gone through over the past few weeks, and I'm grateful that they'll be reunited with their loved ones soon. Today's result is the result of tireless diplomacy and relentless effort by the Department and the broader U.S. government. I appreciate the continued leadership and partnership of Egypt and Qatar in this work.
I also thank the Government of Israel for its support of a humanitarian pause that will facilitate the transfer of hostages to safety and allow additional humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza. While this deal marks significant progress, we will not rest as long as Hamas continues to hold hostages in Gaza."
07:32: Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid: "We back the agreed outline, the State of Israel has a supreme duty to continue working to bring all the abductees home to the last one.
We embrace and strengthen the families of the abductees."
07:30: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: "It is no secret that before the cabinet discussion we thought otherwise, but during the long and thorough discussion we were all convinced that the return of the hostages would advance the goals of the war and that the government, the cabinet and the entire defense establishment are unreservedly committed to continuing the war until the destruction of Hamas."
07:22: Orit Strock on the deal: "I voted in favor even though I really didn't plan. The outline for the release of the hostages is one of the achievements of the war - this is my conclusion in light of detailed reviews, questions answered in depth, and a review of the list of terrorists for release. The soldiers, who brought this achievement in their fighting, will continue fighting more vigorously immediately afterward. The entire government, from end to end, is determined to achieve victory, together we will win."
I voted in favor even though I really hadn't planned.
The outline for the release of the hostages is 1 of the achievements of the war - this is my conclusion in light of detailed reviews, questions answered in depth, and a review of the list of terrorists for release.
The soldiers, who brought this achievement in their fighting, will continue fighting more vigorously immediately afterward. The entire government, from end to end, is determined to achieve victory.
Together we will win
— Orit Strock (@oritstrock) November 22, 2023
06:20: US President Biden also expresses his support for the deal: "I welcome the deal for the release of the hostages who were brutally taken in the brutal attack on October 7. I am delighted that these brave souls, who have endured an indescribable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once the deal is fully implemented."
I welcome the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal assault against Israel on October 7th.⁰⁰I'm gratified that these brave souls, who have endured an unspeakable ordeal, will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 22, 2023
06:00: President Herzog backs the decision to accept the hostage deal: "The dilemmas are understandable, painful and difficult, but under the current circumstances I support and support the decision of the prime minister and the government to advance the deal for the release of hostages. This is a moral and moral obligation that correctly expresses the Jewish and Israeli value of redeeming prisoners, and I hope that it will be a significant first step in bringing all the abductees home. The State of Israel, the IDF and the security forces will continue to act in every way to achieve this goal, alongside restoring absolute security to the citizens of Israel."
The dilemmas are understandable, painful and difficult, but under the current circumstances, I support and support the Prime Minister's and the government's decision to advance a deal to release abductees.
This is a moral and moral obligation that correctly expresses the Jewish and Israeli value of redeeming prisoners, and I hope that it will be a significant first step in bringing all the abductees home.
The State of Israel, the IDF and the forces...
— Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) November 22, 2023
05:15: According to various reports, as part of the agreement, the IDF will halt aerial activity in the skies of the Gaza Strip every day between 10:00 and 16:00. Also, the entire transaction is limited to a maximum of 10 days. Then, if another deal is possible, the government will have to discuss it and reapprove it.
04:30 a.m.: Three U.S. abductees are expected to be released as part of the deal — two women and a toddler, 3-year-old Abigail Idan, whose parents were murdered on Oct. 7, Reuters reported.
3-year-old Abigail Idan, photo: None
03:13: Government announcement: "The Government of Israel is committed to the return of all abductees home. 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 four days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting. The release of every ten additional abductees will result in another day of respite. The government of Israel, the IDF and the security forces will continue the war in order to return all the abductees, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that no threat to the State of Israel renews from Gaza."
02:54: After hours of discussions: The outline of the abductee deal was approved. All members of the government voted in favor, except for three members of the Otzma Yehudit faction, who voted against. Members of Religious Zionism, who said before the meeting that they would not support the outline, ultimately voted in favor of it.
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