The Israeli government approved the ceasefire overnight from Friday to Saturday.
The Israeli government approved the ceasefire agreement in Gaza overnight from Friday to Saturday morning.
This should make it possible to free dozens of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and to interrupt the 15-month war in the Palestinian enclave.
The mediators, Qatar and the United States, had initially announced the ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, but it was temporarily called into question, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Hamas of calling into question certain parts of the agreement, which the Islamist group has denied.
This ceasefire, the second obtained during the war, must come into force on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, according to Qatar. 33 Israeli hostages and 737 Palestinian prisoners must be released.
Benjamin Netanyahu tasked a special team to prepare to receive hostages returning from Gaza and said their families had been informed that a deal had been reached.
The Gaza Strip, devastated by war, is expected to see an influx of humanitarian aid. Since Friday, trucks carrying aid have been waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, which allows entry into the Gaza Strip.
An Egyptian official said an Israeli delegation from the army and Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss reopening the crossing point.
Israeli forces will also withdraw from many areas of Gaza during the first phase of the ceasefire and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes.
The Israeli military, however, said residents will not be allowed to return to areas where troops are present or near the Israel-Gaza border, and that any threats against Israeli forces “will be the subject of a vigorous response”.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to continue fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain unlimited security control over the territory.
Hamas started the war on October 7, 2023, by carrying out a cross-border terrorist attack against Israel that left some 1,200 people dead and 250 hostages in Gaza.
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 make up more than half deaths.
