Israel-Hamas war live: Israeli cabinet backs hostage deal that will free dozens held in Gaza | Israel-Hamas war

The Times of Israel also reports that there may be 30 more hostages released and that the pause in fighting could be extended “by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages”:

Israel believes Hamas could potentially locate some 30 more Israeli mothers and children beyond the initial 50, and that the halt in fighting could be extended by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages who are located and freed, the government official said.

Hamas is claiming it cannot immediately track down around 10 children taken from Israel during the shock October 7 attack.”

Reuters reports that the Israeli Prime Minister’s office has announced that the deal, which has been approved by the cabinet, will see the release of 50 hostages, women and children, over four days, during which there will be pause in fighting. Groups of 12-13 hostages will be released per day, the Times of Israel reports.

The Times of Israel also reports that there may be 30 more hostages released and that the pause in fighting could be extended “by a day for each group of 10 more Israeli hostages”.

Earlier, Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, reported that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages is expected on Thursday.

The delay is because if the deal is agreed to, there must be a 24-hour waiting period before it is implemented, to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports in Israeli media.

The Times of Israel reports that in exchange for the release of hostages, “Israel has agreed to a ceasefire for at least four days for the first time since the outbreak of the war.”

Earlier, Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, reported that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages is expected on Thursday.

The delay is because if the deal is agreed to, there must be a 24-hour waiting period before it is implemented, to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports in Israeli media.

The Times of Israel reports, citing an unnamed government official, that the deal voted on by Israel’s cabinet will see the release of “50 living Israeli citizens, mostly women and children, in groups of 12-13 people per day.”

“There was no immediate details on how ministers voted. While the vast majority of the government’s 38 ministers backed the deal, representatives from the far-right Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism parties expressed opposition to the agreement ahead of the meeting,” the Times of Israel reports.

“Not all details of the agreement have been formally released to the public, but an Israeli government official briefing reporters earlier Tuesday said that the deal is expected to see the release of 50 living Israeli citizens, mostly women and children, in groups of 12-13 people per day.”

Six hospitals in Israel are preparing to receive hostages, Haaretz reports. “They have established designated compounds to receive them, separate from other patients and the media.”

In breaking news: Israeli news organisations Haaretz and Kan, the national broadcaster, report that Israel’s cabinet has voted to approve the hostage deal, which would, Haaretz reports, “involve the exchange of hostages being held by the organization for Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.”

Citing a senior Israeli official, Haaretz reports that “the plan will see Hamas release 30 kidnapped children, eight mothers and 12 more women during a five-day cease-fire.”

The United States on Tuesday carried out strikes against two facilities in Iraq, the US military said.

“US Central Command forces conducted discrete, precision strikes against two facilities in Iraq,” a statement from the USmilitary said.

“The strikes were in direct response to the attacks against US and Coalition forces by Iran and Iran-backed groups,” the statement added.

These strikes appear to be in addition to the strikes reported a short while ago, which were described as being on “an Iranian-backed militia vehicle and a number of Iranian-backed militia personnel involved in [an attack last night by Iran-backed militias].”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports in its daily update from Gaza that there has been a 35% increase in skin diseases and a 40% increase in diarrhoea in the last two weeks as a result of “extremely overcrowded conditions” in UNRWA shelters.

“The poor sanitary conditions, combined with cold rain recently, has exacerbated the risk of epidemics and may lead to a spike in child pneumonia, according to the WHO,” UNOCHA writes.

Hamas has to date released only four hostages: US citizens Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, on 20 October, citing “humanitarian reasons,” and Israeli women Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, on 23 October.

The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which participated in the 7 October raid with Hamas, said late on Tuesday that one of the Israeli hostages it has held since the attacks on Israel had died.

“We previously expressed our willingness to release her for humanitarian reasons, but the enemy was stalling and this led to her death,” Al Quds Brigades said on its Telegram channel.