Key content of landmark deal between Israel and Hamas

In return, 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel were also released, along with humanitarian aid being allowed into the besieged area.

Officials from Qatar, which is mediating the talks, as well as the US, Israel and Hamas have said in recent days that a deal is near.

According to Israeli statistics, Hamas is believed to be holding more than 200 hostages, who were captured when Hamas members stormed Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 others.

A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the 50 women and children would be released over four days, during which there would be a pause in fighting.

The statement said that for every 10 hostages released, the truce would be extended by one day, without mentioning the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.

“The Israeli government is committed to bringing all hostages home. Tonight, they approved the proposed agreement as a first step toward achieving this goal,” the statement said, after hours of closed-door discussions.

Hamas said 50 hostages would be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children being held in Israeli jails. The truce would also allow hundreds of trucks of humanitarian, medical and fuel aid to enter Gaza.

Hamas added that Israel had pledged not to attack or arrest anyone in all areas of Gaza during the ceasefire.

It is the first ceasefire in a war in which Israeli bombing has flattened Hamas-ruled Gaza, killing 13,300 civilians in the small but densely populated enclave and leaving about two-thirds of its 2.3 million people homeless, according to Gaza officials.

Before meeting with his entire government, Mr. Netanyahu met with his expanded war cabinet and national security cabinet on November 21 to discuss the deal.

Before announcing the deal, Mr Netanyahu said US President Joe Biden's intervention had helped improve the tentative deal to include more hostages and fewer concessions.

But Mr Netanyahu said Israel's broader mission had not changed. "We are at war and we will continue to be at war until we achieve all our objectives. Destroy Hamas, return all hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel," he said in a recorded message at the opening of the government meeting.

Israeli media, including Channel 12 news, said the first release was scheduled for November 23. Sources said the deal would be implemented after 24 hours, giving Israeli citizens a chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners.

According to Reuters, Hamas has so far only released four hostages, including two American citizens and two Israelis.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, which participated in the October 7 raid with Hamas, said late on November 21 that one of the Israeli hostages it has held since the October 7 attack on Israel has died.

"We previously expressed our willingness to release her on humanitarian grounds, but the enemy delayed and this led to her death," the Al Quds Brigade said on its Telegram channel.