US secretary of state Antony Blinken says he is confident ceasefire will happen; Israeli cabinet to convene on Friday morning to ratify the deal

• The devastating impact of 15 months of war on Gaza
• How Trump loomed over Gaza ceasefire negotiations

Key mediator Qatar said that 33 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the first stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in the Palestinian territory.

Israel earlier said it would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first stage of a Gaza truce agreement, Israeli and Palestinian sources reported Tuesday.