Israel approves Gaza ceasefire and swap deal
Agreement ends two-year war and secures release of hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of a government meeting in Jerusalem to vote on a U.S-brokered Gaza deal to release all hostages and end the war in the Palestinian territory.
Kushner and Witkoff both praised Netanyahu's approach to the negotiations.
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has upended the Middle East.
While Netanyahu called the deal "a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel," far-right members of his coalition have long opposed any deal with Hamas and are expected to vote against the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of the current deal.
Meanwhile exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said the group has received guarantees from the United States, Arab mediators and Turkey that the war on Gaza has permanently ended.
An Israeli government spokesperson said earlier the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of the government meeting. After that 24-hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be freed within 72 hours. The government meeting was due to follow a just completed meeting of the Israeli security cabinet.
US President Donald Trump said the Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday and that he hopes to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt and address the Israeli Knesset.
Large plumes of smoke were seen rising over Gaza hours after Israel's government ratified a ceasefire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours and free Israeli hostages held there within 72 hours after that.
The Israeli cabinet approved the deal roughly 24 hours after mediators announced the agreement, which calls for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the start of a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza.
Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started the assault.
