Israel’s entire cabinet has sanctioned the ceasefire arrangement regarding Gaza, as confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
This development follows a recommendation from Israel’s security cabinet earlier on Friday advocating for the approval of the agreement. The ceasefire is anticipated to commence on Sunday.
Reports indicate that 24 ministers cast their votes in favor of the agreement, while none opposed it.
An official statement from the Israeli government declared: “The cabinet has given its consent to the framework for the repatriation of the abducted individuals.”
“The framework for the release of the abductees will become effective on Sunday, 19 January, 2025.”
In the initial phase, the agreement aims to secure the release of 33 out of 98 hostages over a span of six weeks. It is estimated that approximately half of the 98 hostages are alive.
The remaining hostages will be freed in a subsequent phase, which will be subjected to negotiations during the first phase.
Hamas has stated that it will not release all hostages without a lasting ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
In return, between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will be released based on the number of hostages freed.
Families of hostages in Tel Aviv on 17 January. Pic: Reuters
Hardline members of Israel’s coalition government have condemned the agreement, claiming it yields to Hamas, with security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to resign upon its approval.
Nevertheless, he remarked that he would not collapse the government over it.
The ceasefire has been in discussion for some time, with several premature conclusions, but a resolution was achieved on Wednesday following mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
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Large explosions persist over Gaza
Read more:
What does the Gaza ceasefire entail?
What are Israelis’ thoughts on the agreement?
In the interim, Israel has persisted with strikes on Gaza, and Palestinian authorities reported that 86 individuals lost their lives the day following the announcement of the agreement.
According to officials, over 46,000 individuals have perished in Israel’s campaign in Gaza, predominantly women and children.
Approximately 1,200 were killed in Israel, along with over 250 kidnapped, during the Hamas terrorist assault in October 2023 that initiated the conflict.
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How the conflict has devastated Gaza
Israel has declared its objective to eradicating the group, claiming to have eliminated approximately 17,000 of its operatives.
Nonetheless, it faces allegations of insufficient measures to safeguard civilians, accusations which it disputes, amidst a warfare that has ravaged Gaza, left hundreds of thousands displaced, and many facing hunger.
The World Health Organization has indicated the potential for significantly boosting humanitarian aid to Gaza, aiming for around 600 trucks per day under the negotiated agreement.
In early January, an average of 51 trucks entered, as reported by UN statistics.
