HomeTop StoriesThe Israeli government approves a ceasefire agreement

The Israeli government approves a ceasefire agreement

The Israeli government approved a ceasefire agreement with Hamas early Saturday morning.

The deal was unveiled earlier this week, when negotiators unveiled a breakthrough in talks between the two sides in Doha, Qatar, after 15 months of fighting. That deal was debated for hours before the Israeli cabinet was approved by a 24-8 vote, according to Axios. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the approval with a statement.

“The government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages,” they wrote. “The framework for the release of the hostages will take effect on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Shabbat Shalom.”

More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023, with some estimates putting the death toll much higher.

The first phase of the six-week ceasefire will consist of a hostage standoff between Hamas and Israel and a withdrawal from Gaza’s major cities. Humanitarian aid organizations will also be allowed access to the territory to assist with reconstruction and resettlement efforts.

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Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The Commission of Detainees Affairs and the Indonesian Prisoners’ Society says Israel holds more than 10,000 Palestinians in prison, adding that this does not include prisoners in Gaza.

The next phase of the ceasefire will be worked out in the coming weeks, with negotiations set to begin 16 days after the ceasefire begins.

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