The Israeli Cabinet has formally approved the ceasefire deal that will end the conflict with Hamas that started shortly after the deadly attack on October 7.
“The government has approved the outline for the return of the abductees,” the government said in a statement to CNN. “The outline for the release of the abductees will come into effect on Sunday, January 19, 2025.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli prime minister’s office, the Trump transition team and the White House by email on Friday evening for comment.
The Context
A source within the Palestinian Hamas movement earlier this week told Newsweek that a long-awaited ceasefire deal had been reached, only for President-elect Donald Trump to shortly afterward announce the deal himself in a post on Truth Social. Trump declared “WE HAVE A DEAL,” taking credit for the agreement and proclaiming that hostages held by Hamas “WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY.”
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani later confirmed that a deal had been reached during a press conference in Doha, where negotiations were being held.
The deal then went to the Israeli government, who delayed formally approving the deal on Thursday and Friday, citing a “last minute crisis” and accusing Hamas of reneging on an earlier agreement granting Israel veto over which prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages.
What To Know
News broke shortly after 1 a.m. in Israel that the cabinet, who had convened on Friday evening, had formally agreed to the deal. This followed a recommendation from the Security Cabinet “following an evaluation of all diplomatic, security and humanitarian aspects.”
“While understanding that the proposed deal supports the achievement of the objectives of the war, the Security Cabinet has recommended that the Government approve the proposed framework,” on Friday afternoon, leading to the Cabinet’s final discussion and approval.
The approval ends days of intense internal politics, with several members of the government publicly opposing the deal’s approval and threatening to quit the government in order to stop its passage.
The far-right Jewish Power Party, led by Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, denounced the deal as “reckless” and claimed it would “destroy all of Israel’s achievements.”
Ben-Gvir has repeatedly threatened to quit over the deal, but his ability to destroy the coalition with Netanyahu’s Likud Party and effectively oust him from power, but The Times of Israel reported that by adding Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party last year, the prime minister effectively undercut Ben-Gvir’s hand.
What People Are Saying
Jonathan Harounoff, Israel’s international spokesperson to the United Nations, told Newsweek: “Israel is committed to bringing home every single one of our hostages. We are grateful that President Biden and President-elect Trump and their teams worked together expeditiously on this issue. We appreciate how the outgoing and incoming administrations put politics aside at this transitional juncture to help advance a hostage agreement.”
Jewish Power Party Chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir on Friday wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “If until yesterday I was terrified of this deal, then today, when more and more details are revealed, when it is revealed that terrorists serving life sentences are being released to Jerusalem, terrorists serving life sentences are being released to Judea and Samaria, when everyone knows that these terrorists will try to harm again, will try to kill again, I am even more terrified. I call on my friends in the Likud and in religious Zionism, it is not yet too late, we are before a government meeting, we can stop this deal, join me, we can stop it.”
What Happens Next
Per the government’s statement, Israel and Hamas will begin exchanging hostages and prisoners on Sunday, January 19 in the first of three phases of the deal.
Phase one of the deal is expected to begin on Sunday and will last for six weeks. The first phase will include the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an influx of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Details about the second and third phases are less clear, although Biden said on Wednesday that the second phase would include a “permanent end” to the Israel-Hamas war and that the third phase would focus on the reconstruction of Gaza.
Update, 1/17/25 at 7:32 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional context and comments.
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