A cessation of violence in the Gaza Strip went into effect Friday, according to the Associated Press and local media. It comes after seven weeks of war. Fifty hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released during the pause, as part of a deal to release hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Qatar, which has acted as a mediator, said Thursday that Hamas is set to release an initial group of 13 hostages. In total, 50 are expected to be released during the four-day pause in fighting. For every 10 hostages released beyond that, the pause will be extended for an additional day, Israel has said. Hamas is expected to release civilian women and children hostages, and Israel to release women and minors detained in Israeli prisons.
