Israel’s Cabinet has approved a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, set to take effect on Sunday.
The deal involves the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The deal will be implemented in three phases, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes. The agreement aims to bring sustainable calm and the reconstruction of Gaza.
The decision came after hours of discussions that continued late into the night. Two far-right ministers voted against the deal.
The security cabinet earlier recommended ratifying the agreement, saying it “supports the achievement of the objectives of the war”, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The terms of the agreement will officially come into force at 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Sunday, Qatari mediators announced.
Under the deal, 33 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza after 15 months of conflict will be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails during the first phase lasting six weeks.
Israeli forces will also withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and “the restoration of sustainable calm” – will start on the 16th day.
The third and final stage will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years – and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
Qatar has said the hostages to be released during the first phase will include “civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians”.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas – which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others – in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
More than 46,870 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Most of the 2.3 million population has also been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter due to a struggle to get aid to those in need.