Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the Israeli negotiating team that agreements have been reached with Hamas on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, according to a statement from his office released Friday morning. The families of the hostages held by the militants were also informed of the agreements reached.
The security cabinet will meet today to approve the deal, Netanyahu's office reported. The vote on the truce agreement with Hamas in the government was postponed to Saturday, as negotiations are still ongoing with the far-right members of the cabinet who disagree with the truce and threaten to break up the coalition. On Thursday, far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir warned that if the deal is approved, he and his faction will leave Netanyahu's government. This step alone will not lead to the collapse of the ruling coalition, although other parties may follow Ben Gvir's example, Israeli media report.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, as told to the Washington Post, Benjamin Netanyahu promised the far-right members of his coalition in the government to resume the military operation in the Gaza Strip after the first stage of the truce with Hamas militants, which includes a 42-day truce and the release of 33 Israeli hostages (mostly women, children, the elderly, sick, and wounded) in exchange for a thousand Palestinian prisoners. According to Israel, 98 hostages remain in Gaza, about 60 of whom are alive.
In the first stage, the Israel Defense Forces will leave most areas of the Gaza Strip but will maintain a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, as well as in a special buffer zone on the border between the Palestinian enclave and Israel. The civilian population of Gaza will be able to return to their homes. Then, male hostages and the remaining bodies of deceased captives may be handed over to Israel. The final phase of the deal should focus on the post-war reconstruction of Gaza.
Photo: Reuters