Local leaders, families react to Hamas hostage deal, short-term Gaza cease-fire
CHICAGO (CBS) --Major progress has been made toward a pause in fighting in Gaza – and the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have approved the deal. he news came after Netanyahu convened his war cabinet to discuss the deal following recent progress in the negotiations.
Hamas's leadership issued a statement on Telegram saying it agreed to the deal, which it called a "cease-fire from both parties." The group also thanked Qatar and Egypt for assisting with the deal.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported, only four hostages have been released by Hamas since the start of the war – including Judith and Natalie Raanan from the Chicago area.
While optimistic about this new deal, those who have loved ones who are captive say they will believe it when the hostages are actually released.
According to a U.S. senior administration official, three Americans are expected to be among the 50 women and children released. Nearly 240 hostages have been taken by Hamas altogether.
The agreement is expected to be implemented 24 hours after it is finalized — which would be early Thursday morning, local time — the official said.
Hamas wrote that the terms of the deal included the release of 50 Israeli women and children hostages in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. They said it also required a cessation of all air traffic over south Gaza, and air traffic over north Gaza for six hours a day, and that "hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, relief, medical and fuel aid" would be brought into all areas of the Gaza Strip "without exception, north and south."
The deal brokered by the U.S. and Qatar would also require a four-day pause in fighting. Israel would also have to halt its drone surveillance, while providing Gaza with trucks filled with necessities like fuel.
"I have every reason to be doubtful," said Yinam Cohen, consul general of Israel to the Midwest. "We have to remember, there's around 240 hostages - and we're talking just about the release of some of them. So we want to see justice to all the hostages."
It is an agonizing wait for the families of the hostages.
Hersh Goldberg Polin's parents used to live in Chicago. He was seriously injured by Hamas and taken hostage during a music festival.
"If it happens, I will be thrilled for those families," said Rachel Goldberg, Goldberg Polin's mother. "Until I actually see children walking into safe hands, I'm not going to count those chickens before they hatch."
The release of the hostages is expected to happen in waves of about 10 at a time – and could begin in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu made it clear that the war is not over.
