Israeli government officially approves ceasefire with Hamas

The Israeli government officially approved this Friday (17) the terms of the ceasefire agreement with the terrorist group Hamas, which is scheduled to come into force this Sunday (19). According to information, the agreement allows for the gradual release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. It was mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

The agreement’s approval comes after approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet and a cabinet vote with 24 ministers in favor and eight against.

The main objective of the agreement is to promote the return of all hostages who are under the control of Hamas terrorists. Among the names included in the first stage of release is that of baby Kfir Bibas, who will be released along with his family after 469 days in captivity. It is not yet known whether they are all alive. Kfir, about to turn two years old, was kidnapped during the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 in the Nir Oz community. In total, 33 hostages will be released in this first phase of the agreement, scheduled to last 42 days.

The agreement will be implemented in phases, and initially calls for three hostages to be released this Sunday, followed by additional groups in subsequent days. On the other hand, Israel will release 95 Palestinian prisoners, most of them women and teenagers.

The ceasefire includes the temporary suspension of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, allowing the displacement of residents from the south to the north of the region. During the release of the hostages, airspace over Gaza will be closed for 12 hours. Additionally, Israeli soldiers will continue to monitor strategic areas such as the Philadelphia Corridor for up to 42 days before beginning a gradual withdrawal. The Israeli government has guarantees from the United States that allow it to resume operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to comply with the agreement.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice has already published a list of the names and crimes of the 95 detained Palestinians who will be released. Those who are against the agreement will be able to file an appeal with the Israeli High Court of Justice within the next 24 hours to question it.