DOHA/GAZA—Israel and the Hamas terrorist group will start a four-day truce on Friday morning with a first group of 13 Israeli women and child hostages released later that day, mediators in Qatar said.
World powers gave the news a cautious welcome. But fighting raged on, as the hours counted down to the start of the first break in a brutal, near seven-week-old war. Both sides also signaled the pause would be temporary before fighting resumes.
