Israel-Palestine war: Gaza pact in progress to free hostages, halt clashes in hope for peace - Report

Earlier, it was reported that close to 240 people were taken hostage by Hamas following the October 7 surprise attack on Israel. It is not clear how many of these hostages would be released.

In a recent development, Israel, Hamas and the US have reportedly reached a tentative deal that would ensure the release of 50 or more hostages, and a five-day pause in the ongoing fighting. According to various reports, hostages would be released in small batches, every 24 hours, in exchange for a pause in the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli forces against Hamas in Gaza.

However, a White House spokesperson dismissed this report and said, "No deal yet but we continue to work hard to get a deal."

Earlier, it was reported that close to 240 people were taken hostage by Hamas following the October 7 surprise attack on Israel. It is not clear how many of these hostages would be released.

A pause in the ongoing Gaza operation aims to facilitate vital humanitarian aid, notably fuel, to enter the region from Egypt.

The potential commencement of a five-day hiatus in the Gaza operation, alongside the release of hostages, might unfold within the coming days. Yet, the Israeli Embassy spokesperson in Washington declined to address queries regarding the reported deal or the hostage situation.

It is reportedly said that the deal was put together among Israel, the US and Hamas, during a round of talks in Doha, and was led by Qatari mediators. This comes not so long after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied passing up on a serious deal for the release of 50 hostages.