Hostage Deal Will See Release of 3 Americans

Both Israel and Hamas have agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire that will see the release of at least 50 hostages taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the deadliest conflict in history between the two enemies. It's believed hostages will be released in groups of 10 or 12 over four days beginning Thursday. Israel is to release 150 Palestinian prisoners, or three prisoners for each hostage released, Fox News reports. Here's what else we know:

• Days of 'respite': "At least 50 hostages—women and children—will be released for 4 days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting," Israel's Prime Minister's Office said, per Fox. "The release of every 10 additional hostages will result in an additional day of respite." It is likely more than 50 hostages will be released, a senior US official tells Reuters, "but I just don't want to put a number on it."
• Americans: Three Americans will be released—two women and a girl, Abigail Mor Idan, who turns 4 on Friday, Reuters reports. Abigail's parents were killed Oct. 7 at the Kfar Aza kibbutz. Abigail's father had the girl in his arms when he was shot, NBC News reports, adding the girl's older brothers survived. Seven other Americans remain unaccounted for.

• Other hostages: Two Americans were among a handful of hostages previously released. Hamas holds 239 hostages, including foreign nationals from 26 countries, according to Israel. There are at least 62 women and 33 minors among the group, per the New York Times.
• Prisoners: There are 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israel, up 2,000 from before Oct. 7, Palestinian prisoners' rights group Addameer says, per the Times. Israelis will have a chance to appeal the release of individual prisoners, Axios reports. It adds prisoners convicted of killing Israelis will not be released.
• Humanitarian relief: The start of the pause in fighting is to be announced within 24 hours. Israel will then permit some 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza from Egypt each day, in addition to fuel deliveries, per Axios.

• Hamas' statement: "The terms of this agreement were formulated according to a vision that aims to serve our people and strengthen their steadfastness in the face of aggression, and always pay attention to their sacrifices, suffering and concerns," the group said Wednesday. It added "all our resistance factions will remain the protective shield and defender of our people until the occupation and aggression are defeated."
• Biden's statement: "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," he said Thursday. "As President, I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world" and "will not stop until they are all released."
• The mediators: CNN has a deep dive into negotiations aided by Qatar and Egypt, reporting that "Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani engaged directly with senior Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh." Qatar's Minister of State Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, the lead negotiator, said the international community should "seize this brief window of opportunity to generate further momentum for the diplomatic track," per the outlet.
• The war isn't over: However, Israel said it would resume its air and ground campaign once the period of hostage releases is over. "Nothing says that the war ends after hostages are returned," Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told Fox on Tuesday. "Hamas needs to be destroyed."

(More Israel-Hamas war stories.)