Israel’s cabinet has approved a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which includes the release of hostages in Gaza, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The decision came after a six-hour meeting that concluded early Saturday morning.
“The government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The process will begin on Sunday,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, medics in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike in the Mawasi area near Khan Younis killed three people early Saturday, raising the death toll to 119 since the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.
Lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk stated that the ceasefire is expected to take effect Sunday morning, with the release of three female hostages by the Red Cross scheduled for the afternoon.
McGurk emphasized the agreement’s readiness, saying, “We have locked down every single detail.”
The ceasefire agreement initiates with a six-week phase that includes hostage-prisoner exchanges and could potentially lead to an end to the 15-month conflict.
Thirty-three Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over 50, are set to be released during this phase, while Israel will free all Palestinian women and minors under 19 detained in its prisons.
The Israeli Justice Ministry has already published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be released in the initial exchange on Sunday. After this, the agreement stipulates additional hostages will be freed incrementally.
The deal faced opposition from some hardliners within Netanyahu’s cabinet, with 24 ministers voting in favor and eight against.
The war, which has devastated Gaza and killed over 46,000 people, has also displaced much of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents.
If successful, the ceasefire could de-escalate broader regional tensions, which have drawn in Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and armed groups in Iraq and the West Bank.
