JERUSALEM  — Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day cease-fire in the war in Gaza — a breakthrough that could facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by the terrorist group as well as Palestinian Arabs convicted and imprisoned by Israel, officials said Wednesday.

The truce raised hopes in some quarters of eventually winding down the war, which was triggered by Hamas’ October 7 rampage into southern Israel. Yet Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that after the ceasefire the war, which Israel formally declared, would resume. “We are at war, and we will continue the war,” he told reporters late on Tuesday.

“We will continue until we achieve all our goals,” Mr. Netanyahu asserted. Now in its seventh week, the war has leveled swaths of Gaza, where Hamas has tried to skulk among civilians. The objectives include the destruction of Hamas’ fighting and governing abilities and the return of all hostages.

The Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, which has played a key role in mediating with Hamas but also houses Hamas leaders and funds Hamas, announced the deal, saying a start time would be given Wednesday or early Thursday. Fifty hostages will be freed in stages, in exchange for the release of what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Both sides will let go women and children first, though the situations are not equivalent. Many of the women and children that Israel is releasing were convicted of stabbing or shooting attacks. Hamas specifically targeted and slaughtered women and children during its attack on Israel. 

The supply of goods flowing into the besieged territory will be ramped up. The announcement capped weeks of indirect Qatari-led negotiations between Israel and Hamas, an Islamic terrorist group that seized Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007 and has governed it since.

America and Egypt were also involved in stop-and-go talks to free some of the roughly 240 hostages captured by Hamas and other terrorists during their October 7 raid. President Biden welcomed the deal, saying Mr. Netanyahu has committed to supporting an “extended pause” to make sure that the hostages are released and humanitarian aid can be sent to Gaza.

Qatar’s prime minister and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said he hoped the deal would eventually lead to a permanent cease-fire and “serious talks” on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel said that the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages released by Hamas. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it can assist with any release.

Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 prisoners eligible for release as part of the deal. Under Israeli law, the public has 24 hours to object to any release. The Israeli military says it has detained more than 1,850 Palestinians, mostly suspected Hamas members, in the West Bank since the war began. More than 200 Palestinians Arabs have been killed there, frequently during gunbattles.

The deal announced last night raises fears on the Israeli side that the drawn-out process of releasing hostages could force Israel to rein in its offensive and could ultimately mean it ends the war without achieving its goal of crushing Hamas. Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, could try to present the release of the prisoners as an achievement and try to declare victory if the war ends.