The Israeli government has officially approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. Following an extensive meeting involving all cabinet members on Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced the government's decision.
In the vote, 24 ministers supported the deal while eight opposed 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,\" stated a release from Netanyahu's office.
However, tensions remain high as 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, located 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.
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 noted that three female hostages are slated to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
Under the terms of the deal, the ceasefire will begin with an initial six-week phase that includes hostage-for-prisoner exchanges. This phase could potentially pave the way to ending the 15-month-old war. During this period, thirty-three Israeli hostages—including women, children, and men over the age of 50—are due to be freed. In exchange, 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
