Israel's cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal

 Israel's cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal


Under the deal, 33 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza after 15 months of conflict will be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails during the first phase lasting six weeks. Israeli forces will also withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed into the territory each day. 

 Negotiations for the second phase - which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and «the restoration of sustainable calm» - will start on the 16th day. Qatar has said the hostages to be released during the first phase will include «civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians».

Israel says three hostages are expected to be released on the first day of the ceasefire, with more small groups freed at regular intervals over the next six weeks. The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas - which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others - in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead.

Einav Zangauker urged the Israeli government to fully implement the deal to ensure that all the hostages were brought home


«We hope that in the future we will be able to finish the job in Gaza,» he added. But far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was «horrified» by the details of the agreement, including that «life-sentenced terrorists» would be released in exchange for the hostages, and urged other ministers to join him in voting against it. They fear their relatives will be abandoned in Gaza after the first phase is done and are urging the government to ensure the second and third phases are also implemented. «This agreement must be followed through to the end, to bring everyone home and end the war. »

The government vote had been expected on Thursday, but the meeting was delayed after Netanyahu accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the deal - an allegation Hamas denied. A source close to Hamas told AFP news agency that the first three hostages to be released would be women. On Friday, the Israeli justice ministry published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners which it said would be part of the first group to be freed in exchange for hostages. They comprised 69 women, 16 men and 10 minors, according to AFP.

More than 100 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Israeli strikes since the deal was announced on Wednesday


All necessary arrangements were agreed, including the formation of a joint operations room to ensure compliance, that would include Egyptian, Qatari, US, Palestinian and Israeli representatives, the official said. Egyptian state-run Al-Qahera News TV also cited a source as saying that they had agreed on facilitating the entry of 600 aid lorries per day during the ceasefire. There has been no respite for Palestinians on the ground in Gaza since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday night. Tamer Abu Shaaban said his young niece was killed by missile shrapnel as she played in the yard of a school in Gaza City where her displaced family was sheltering.

«Is this the truce they are talking about?» he told Reuters news agency as he stood beside her body at a mortuary. The Israeli military said on Thursday afternoon that it had conducted strikes on 50 «terror targets» across Gaza over the previous day and taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians.

The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war follows 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.


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