The prime minister's office said Friday that if the deal is passed, ceasefire could start as soon as Sunday with the first hostages released then.
🌸Israel's security Cabinet on Friday recommended approval of a ceasefire deal after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed an agreement had been reached that would pause the 15-month war with Hamas in Gaza and release dozens of hostages held by militants there. The deal is now up to the full cabinet of Netanyahu to make the final decision.
♈Mediators Qatar and the US announced the ceasefire on Wednesday, but the deal was not officially approved by Israel as Netanyahu insisted there were last-minute snags he blamed on Hamas.
🔜The militants maintained they were "committed" to the deal, while residents of Gaza and families of the hostages anxiously waited to see if it would materialise.
⛦Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered the current war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive, reported Associated Press.
🃏Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza Health Ministry, who also said women and children make up more than half of those killed.
💮Beyond the death and destruction in Gaza, the conflict has also destabilised the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
⛄On Thursday, Israeli strikes killed at least 81 people in Gaza.
💖The deal now goes to the full Cabinet of ministers for final sign-off. It is expected to 'OK' the ceasefire, which could start as soon as Sunday, even though it has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners. Their objections could destabilise his government, however.
🥀Netanyahu instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza, and said their families were informed a deal had been reached. The prime minister's office said if the deal passes, the ceasefire could start Sunday when the first hostages could be freed.
♈Under the deal, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
𝓰Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to what's left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance.
ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚThe remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second -- and much more difficult -- phase that will be negotiated during the first.
♎Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory.
Also Read | Gaza Ceasefire Deal I Key Details And Challenges
🏅Jaher Jabareen, head of Hamas' office responsible for prisoners, said on Friday that the names of those expected to be released from Israeli jails will be published, but didn't say when.
💎Longer-term questions about post-war Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.
ꦗAn Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed that the last-minute issues were over the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli jails during the first phase of the deal, but those have now been resolved.
🌄Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.
ܫThe Hamas official said mediators showed the group Israel's approval.
🍬The Egyptian official added that an Israeli delegation from the military and Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the reopening of the Rafah crossing, a key link between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
🙈An Israeli official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations, confirmed a delegation was going to Cairo to discuss the crossing.
🧸On Thursday, Israel's hard-line national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened to quit the government if Israel approved the ceasefire.
꧟He reiterated his stand on Friday, writing on X, "If the deal passes, we will leave the government with a heavy heart."
🙈While Ben-Gvir's resignation would not bring down the government or derail the ceasefire deal, the move would destabilise the government at a delicate moment and could eventually lead to its collapse if Ben-Gvir were joined by other key Netanyahu allies.
▨A group representing some families of Israeli soldiers killed fighting in Gaza held a demonstration on Thursday against a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
ಌThe Gvura Forum reportedly opposed the deal, saying it won't lead to Hamas' destruction and that it will free Palestinians convicted of deadly crimes against Israelis.
🍌The agreement could also leave some Israeli hostages behind in Gaza if it collapses, the group said.
💖The group also set up rows of mock coffins draped in the Israeli flag in Jerusalem to symbolise the 'price' Israel will pay if it agrees to the deal.
(With AP inputs)