Israeli cabinet advances ceasefire deal to halt Gaza conflict, facilitate hostage release

Israel’s security cabinet has recommended approving a ceasefire agreement that would temporarily halt fighting in Gaza and facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas. The decision, reached early Friday, now moves to the full cabinet for final approval before implementation.

If endorsed, the ceasefire is expected to begin Sunday, marking a potential pause in a 15-month conflict that has devastated Gaza and claimed thousands of lives. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the possibility of hostages being freed on the same day.

Negotiated with the mediation of Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, the agreement includes the release of Israeli hostages captured during Hamas’s October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli jails.

Persistent violence amid negotiations

While progress on the ceasefire was announced, violence persisted in Gaza. Israeli strikes reportedly killed more than 100 people since the deal was disclosed, and the military confirmed targeting approximately 50 locations in the territory over the past 24 hours.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, warned that continued airstrikes could jeopardize the safety of the hostages slated for release, calling the strikes a potential “tragedy” for those set to be freed.