The Israeli government has officially approved a ceasefire agreement with the Gaza Strip, aiming to secure the release of hostages held by militant groups. After a prolonged meeting of all cabinet members, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Saturday that the framework for the hostages' release will come into effect on Sunday.
According to Israeli media reports, the decision saw overwhelming support within the cabinet, with 24 ministers voting in favor of the deal and eight opposing it.
\"The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages' release will come into effect on Sunday,\" Netanyahu's office stated.
Despite the impending ceasefire, tensions remain high in the region. Medics in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike early on Saturday killed three people in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the enclave. This incident brings the Palestinian death toll to 119 since the ceasefire pact was announced on Wednesday.
Lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk indicated that the White House expects the ceasefire to commence on Sunday morning. \"We have locked down every single detail in this agreement. We are quite confident… it is ready to be implemented on Sunday,\" McGurk told CNN from the White House. He added that three female hostages are scheduled to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
The ceasefire agreement initiates with an initial six-week phase that includes hostage-for-prisoner exchanges and could pave the way toward ending the 15-month-old war. Under the deal, thirty-three Israeli hostages—including women, children, and men over 50—are due to be freed in this phase. In return, Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase.
The international community watches closely as this development unfolds, hopeful that the ceasefire will hold and lead to a lasting peace in the region.
(With input from Reuters)
(Cover: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads a security cabinet meeting to vote on a Gaza ceasefire, in Jerusalem on January 17, 2025. /CFP)
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
