Israel Cabinet Approves Ceasefire Deal with Hamas

The Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to end more than 460 days of conflict in Gaza. During this period, over 46,788 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, and 110,453 wounded by Israeli forces. According to leading news channel, the cabinet ratified the agreement on Saturday morning after a six-hour meeting.

Netanyahu’s office released a statement confirming the decision, stating that the agreement includes a framework for the return of prisoners. The framework is set to come into effect on Sunday. Despite opposition from several hardliners in the government, 24 ministers voted in favor of the agreement, while eight opposed it. The Security Cabinet had already approved the initial phase of the ceasefire on Friday.

The agreement outlines an initial six-week ceasefire phase. During this period, prisoners held in Gaza will be released in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli jails. This phase aims to pave the way for ending the 15-month-long war. Following the cabinet’s confirmation, Israeli officials published a list of 737 Palestinian prisoners to be released in the first phase, which will commence at 4 p.m. local time (14:00 GMT) on Sunday.

The list reportedly includes members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Fatah, some of whom are serving life sentences. This ceasefire agreement marks a significant step toward de-escalation, but its implementation and reception remain to be closely observed amidst ongoing tensions.