NATO welcomes deal between Israel, Hamas for humanitarian pause

The chief of NATO on Wednesday hailed the new deal between Israel and Hamas for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip.

''I welcome the agreement between Hamas and Israel that will allow the release of hostages, the suspension of conflicts, and the delivery of humanitarian aid,'' said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of a NATO meeting in North Macedonia's capital Skopje.

Early on Wednesday, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian pause was achieved between Israel and Hamas, with Israel later saying a hostage swap would begin on Thursday.

The Qatar-mediated agreement suggests the announcement of a four-day pause in fighting, the entry of 300 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, including much-needed fuel, into the Gaza Strip, and the release of 50 Israelis held by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.

The agreement also allows an extension of the pause and the potential release of more children and women held by the two sides.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

Authorities in Gaza said Tuesday that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave since then has risen past 14,100 people-including over 5,800 children and 3,900 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.