The Israeli government has officially approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. Following a lengthy meeting on Saturday, the cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, voted in favor of the deal, with 24 ministers supporting and eight opposing it, according to Netanyahu’s office.
“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 announced.
Despite the upcoming ceasefire, 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 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 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 noted that three female hostages are to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.
Under the terms of the deal, the ceasefire begins with an initial six-week phase that includes hostage-for-prisoner exchanges and could pave 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 in this phase. In exchange, Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase.
(With input from Reuters)
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
