As negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza appear to have cleared the final hurdles, the Israeli security cabinet is set to convene on Friday to approve the deal, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The government’s final approval is then expected for Saturday evening.
Initially, the ceasefire was supposed to take effect on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. However, according to Netanyahu’s office, opponents of the agreement need 24 hours to file a petition with the Supreme Court, which would delay the truce until Monday.
It is reportedly part of the deal that, initially, 33 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attacks from Israel will be released. In return, Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The IDF troops will also withdraw from the Gaza Strip in a phased manner. The release of the remaining hostages is to be negotiated later, with the number of still-living captives unclear.
After a Wednesday announcement of an agreement, the deal was on the brink of collapse. Netanyahu accused Hamas of not adhering to agreements.