Israel's security cabinet met on Friday to vote on a ceasefire agreement after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that a deal had been reached that would end the 15-month conflict with Hamas in Gaza and free dozens of hostages held by militants there.
Mediators Qatar and the United States announced the ceasefire on Wednesday, but the deal was in limbo for more than a day as Netanyahu insisted there were last-minute hiccups that he blamed on Hamas.
The militants maintained they were “committed” to the deal, while Gaza residents and hostages' families waited anxiously to see if it would materialize.
If Cabinet approves, the deal will go to the government for final approval. Both bodies are expected to approve the ceasefire, which could begin as soon as Sunday, even though it has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners. However, their objections could destabilize his government.
Hamas sparked the conflict with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and left about 250 others captive.
Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children account for more than half of the dead.
Beyond the death and destruction in Gaza, the conflict has also destabilized the Middle East and sparked protests around the world.
On Thursday, Israeli strikes killed at least 72 people in Gaza. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project force.
Netanyahu ordered a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza and said their families were informed that a deal had been reached. The prime minister's office said that if the deal is approved, the ceasefire could begin on Sunday and the first hostages could also be freed.
Under the deal, 33 of about 100 hostages remaining in Gaza will be freed within six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will withdraw from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians could return to what remains of their homes and there will be an increase in humanitarian assistance.
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The rest of the hostages, including male soldiers, will be freed in a second, much more difficult phase, which will be negotiated during the first.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and maintains indefinite security control over the territory.
Jaher Jabareen, head of the Hamas office responsible for prisoners, said Friday that the names of those expected to be released from Israeli prisons will be published, but did not say when.
Long-term questions remain over post-conflict Gaza, including who will govern the territory or oversee the massive reconstruction task.
An Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed that last-minute problems revolved around the list of Palestinian prisoners who would be released from Israeli jails during the first phase of the deal, but have now been resolved. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations. The Hamas official said the mediators showed Israel's approval of the group.
The Egyptian official added that an Israeli delegation from the military and Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the reopening of the Rafah crossing, a key link between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. An Israeli official who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations confirmed that a delegation would go to Cairo to discuss the crossing.
Objections to the agreement in Israel
On Thursday, Israel's hardline national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened to resign from the government if Israel approved the ceasefire. He reiterated this on Friday, writing on social media platform X: “If the 'deal' is approved, we will leave the government with a heavy heart.”
Ben-Gvir's resignation would not bring down the government or derail the ceasefire agreement, but the move would destabilize the government at a delicate time and could eventually lead to its collapse if Ben-Gvir were joined by other key Netanyahu allies.
Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt
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