In a significant development, the Israeli government officially approved a ceasefire agreement on Saturday, aiming to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The decision came after a lengthy meeting of all cabinet members, as announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
The approval saw 24 ministers voting in favor of the deal, while eight opposed it, according to Israeli media reports.
\"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 declared.
However, the situation in Gaza remains tense. Medics reported that an Israeli air strike 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 total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes to 119 since the ceasefire pact was announced on Wednesday.
From the United States, lead negotiator Brett McGurk stated 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 expected to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
Details of the deal indicate that the ceasefire will begin with an initial six-week phase involving hostage-for-prisoner exchanges, potentially paving the way to ending the 15-month-old war. Thirty-three Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over 50, are due to be freed during 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.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
