The Israeli government has officially approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The decision came after a lengthy cabinet meeting on Saturday, as announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
According to Israeli media reports, the deal saw support from 24 ministers, with 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,\" stated Netanyahu's office.
Despite the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday, medics in Gaza 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 enclave's south. This brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes since the pact was announced to 119.
Lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk expressed optimism about the ceasefire's implementation. \"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 the ceasefire is expected to start on Sunday morning, with three female hostages to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
Under the deal, the ceasefire begins with an initial six-week phase involving hostage-for-prisoner exchanges, which could pave the way toward ending the 15-month-old war.
In this phase, thirty-three Israeli hostages—including women, children, and men over 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
