Under the terms of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal , fighting will be halted in Gaza for at least six weeks. Dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed, while more aid flows in .

Smotrich said he has received assurances that Israel will resume the war after the first phase, during which 33 hostages held in Gaza are to return home and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. The second phase, which must still be negotiated, is to work out an end to the war and return of all remaining hostages.

The Palestinian militant movement Hamas is expected to release four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-old war in Gaza.

Hamas on Friday announced the names of four Israeli women soldiers to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas said it would release four female Israeli soldiers held hostage in Gaza on Saturday, the second group of captives released under the ceasefire deal with Israel. For one family in Gaza, the ceasefire came hours too late.