Israel's security cabinet has voted to approve a ceasefire agreement to end the fighting in Gaza.
"After reviewing all political, security and humanitarian aspects and understanding that the proposed agreement supports the achievement of the war's objectives, the security cabinet recommends that the government approve the ceasefire agreement," said a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister.
The full Israeli cabinet will meet later to review the agreement, the statement added.
The security cabinet consists of a handful of senior government members who oversee the course of the war in Gaza.
Earlier on Friday, the prime minister's office posted on X saying that Hamas would release the first hostages on Sunday, if the deal receives final approval from the Israeli government.
On Wednesday, President Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, and key mediators Qatar and Egypt announced that an agreement had been reached to stop the fighting after 15 months of war.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the deal "the right move" and urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move forward with it, but the prime minister's office said there remained several "unresolved issues" that needed to be addressed by the cabinet, as they create some uncertainty over the deal.
Far-right ministers have expressed opposition to the deal, and one has threatened to resign if it goes ahead.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that he still expects the ceasefire to take effect on Sunday.
The agreement provides for a six-week ceasefire, with a first phase involving the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, as well as a partial Israeli military withdrawal and an increase in humanitarian aid.
During this first phase, the parties are supposed to begin talks to find a permanent end to the war that began on October 7, 2023, with a surprise attack on southern Israel by Hamas-led militants based in Gaza.
According to Israeli officials, that attack killed about 1,200 people and captured 250. The event triggered an Israeli military campaign to destroy Hamas, killing more than 46,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Source: NPR
