The Israeli government has officially approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The decision was announced on Saturday after a lengthy cabinet meeting, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
The agreement saw significant support within the government, with 24 ministers voting in favor and eight opposing, as reported by Israeli media.
\"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, medics in Gaza reported that an Israeli air strike early on Saturday resulted in the deaths of three people in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the southern part of the enclave. This incident brought the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes 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 to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
The ceasefire deal includes an initial six-week phase involving hostage-for-prisoner exchanges and could pave the way toward ending the 15-month-old war. In this first phase, thirty-three Israeli hostages—including women, children, and men over 50—are scheduled to be freed. In return, Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of this phase.
(With input from Reuters)
Cover: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (sixth from left) heads a security cabinet meeting to vote on a Gaza ceasefire in Jerusalem on January 17, 2025. /CFP
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
