Israel, the United States and Hamas are close to an agreement to free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Under the terms of a detailed, six-page agreement, all parties to the conflict would freeze combat operations for at least five days while an initial 50 or more of what are believed to be a total 239 hostages are released in batches every 24 hours, the report continued, citing people familiar with the provisions.

The release could begin within the next several days and "it remained unclear until now that Israel would agree to temporarily pause its offensive in Gaza, provided the conditions were right," according to the report.