Israel’s security cabinet on Friday recommended the 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.
Mediators Qatar and the US announced the ceasefire on Wednesday, but the deal hung in limbo for more than a day 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.
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.
Hamas triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive.
Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.
Beyond the death and destruction in Gaza, the conflict has also destabilised West Asia and sparked worldwide protests. On Thursday, Israeli strikes killed at least 72 people in Gaza. In previous conflicts, both sides stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength.
Three-phase pact
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 on 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.
Israeli 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.
The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second — and much mor e 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.
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.
An 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.