Israel’s government has approved a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas, set to take effect on Sunday.
After hours of discussions, two far-right ministers opposed the deal.
The security cabinet, however, recommended the approval, believing it would help achieve the war’s objectives, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The agreement, finalized after two days of negotiations by Qatar, the US, and Egypt, involves the exchange of 33 Israeli hostages, held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months, for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails over six weeks.
Israeli forces are also expected to withdraw from Gaza’s densely populated areas, displaced Palestinians will begin returning home, and hundreds of aid trucks will enter the territory daily.
The second phase, scheduled to begin on day 16, aims to finalize the release of the remaining hostages, ensure a full Israeli troop withdrawal, and restore “sustainable calm.”
The third and final phase will focus on Gaza’s reconstruction, a process that could span years, and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
According to Qatar, the first phase will prioritize the release of “civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians.”
Israel expects the first three hostages to be freed on day one, with more hostages released at regular intervals over the subsequent weeks.
The military’s campaign against Hamas was launched in response to a devastating cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed, and 251 people were taken hostage. Since then, more than 46,870 people have died in Gaza, with 2.3 million displaced, widespread destruction, and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.
Israel reported that 94 hostages remain in Hamas’s custody, with 34 presumed dead, alongside four Israelis who were abducted before the war, two of whom are dead.
Ahead of the vote, Culture Minister Miki Zohar of Netanyahu’s Likud party emphasized that it was a difficult decision but vital for bringing Israeli citizens home. He expressed hope that the war could be completed in Gaza later.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed horror over the agreement, particularly the release of “life-sentenced terrorists” in exchange for hostages.
He threatened to leave the governing coalition, though he refrained from bringing down the government in parliament, stating he would return if the war resumed at full force.
Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, also opposed to the deal, said his party would exit if the war doesn’t resume after phase one.
The three-phase structure has led to concerns among some hostage families, who worry their loved ones could be left behind in Gaza after phase one.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was abducted, stressed the importance of completing the deal, bringing everyone home, and restoring normalcy for Israel.
The government’s vote, initially planned for Thursday, was delayed after Netanyahu accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the deal, a claim Hamas denied. By early Friday, the prime minister’s office confirmed the agreement was finalized.
Hamas also announced that the obstacles in the deal had been resolved.
A source close to Hamas mentioned that the first three hostages to be released would be women.
The Israeli justice ministry published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be part of the first exchange group, which includes 69 women, 16 men, and 10 minors.
On Friday, a meeting in Cairo addressed mechanisms for implementing the deal, with the formation of a joint operations room to ensure compliance, including representatives from Egypt, Qatar, the US, Palestine, and Israel.
Egypt confirmed the plan to allow 600 aid lorries daily into Gaza during the ceasefire.
However, there has been no respite for Palestinians in Gaza since the announcement of the ceasefire.
Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that Israeli strikes have killed 117 Palestinians, including 32 women and 30 children, since the deal was unveiled.
A Gaza resident, Tamer Abu Shaaban, mourned the death of his niece from missile shrapnel, asking, “What did this young girl, this child, do to deserve this?” The Israeli military, in turn, claimed it targeted 50 “terror targets” across Gaza, taking precautions to minimize civilian casualties.
