What we know: Israel-Hamas truce deal

A pause in the Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza will start on Friday morning and an exchange of hostages and prisoners will follow hours later, mediator Qatar said, after nearly seven weeks of fighting.

The breakthrough four-day truce facilitated by Qatar with help from Egypt and the United States had been due to take effect on Thursday but was delayed after a last-minute hitch.

Qatar said the pause would begin Friday at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) with the "first batch" of 13 civilian hostages -- all women and children from the same families -- being handed over around nine hours later.

Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would also be released on Friday, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said, adding a list of names had been approved, without saying how many.

The agreement entailed a "complete ceasefire with no attacks from the air or the ground" and the skies clear of drones to "allow for the hostage release to happen in a safe environment", Ansari said.

The armed wing of Hamas, Qassam Brigades, confirmed the cessation of hostilities would start at 7:00 am under the deal that is also intended to provide aid to Gaza's 2.4 million residents struggling to survive with shortages of food, water and fuel.

It said a total of 50 hostages -- women and males aged 18 or under -- would be freed, with three Palestinian prisoners to be released for each of them.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was in contact with the families of the hostages after receiving "a first list of names" of those due to be released. It did not specify who was on it.

Palestinian prisoners' release

Palestinian prisoners will be released from three jails in Israel and the occupied West Bank and taken to the Ofer military camp on buses, an Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that they were expected to be freed in the evening.

Most were from the occupied West Bank but five were from Gaza.

Hamas official Bassem Naim said "marathon negotiations" were behind the agreement, which "represents an important step towards alleviating the suffering of our people".

The release of Palestinian woman and children held in Israeli jails would start with those who have been detained the longest, Naim said.

The agreement follows weeks of war in Gaza after Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

Israeli officials say about 1,200 people were killed and around 240 taken hostage.

Then, a relentless Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive started in Gaza, where officials say more than 14,800 civilians have been killed.