Israel said it had approved ‘the outline’ for the first stage of a hostage-prisoner exchange.

The Israeli government said Wednesday morning that it would uphold a brief cease-fire in Gaza if Hamas freed 50 of the hostages it captured during its assault last month on Israel.

The decision, announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in a WhatsApp message early Wednesday, includes a pause of at least four days in the fighting in Gaza. If it holds, it would be the longest halt in hostilities since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks prompted Israel to begin its bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. Read more

@nytimes