International Desk, Jan 18 (EFE).- The Israeli government, after a meeting of more than five hours, approved early Saturday the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement with the Islamist group Hamas, as a way to end the escalation of violence in Gaza.
“The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages’ release will come into effect on Sunday,” Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement.
The ceasefire deal was ready on Wednesday but required the ratification of the Israeli government which occurred following a meeting of its full cabinet that stretched late into the night.
The government voted to approve the ceasefire agreement, after the security cabinet gave its blessing to the agreement on Friday.
The ceasefire deal was approved by the full cabinet by a 24-8 vote amid stiff resistance from far right parties.
The agreement enters into force at noon on Sunday, Jan. 19 with a first phase that will extend over a period of 42 days.
During this period, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners, while humanitarian aid and fuel will be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the two sides will negotiate the details and conditions of the second and third stages of the ceasefire.
On Jan. 14, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that he would hand over to the next Trump istration a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip, which includes a single government for Gaza and the West Bank together, overseen by the international community.
After the military takeover of Rafah on May 7, Israel controls all access points to Gaza, a Palestinian enclave ruled by Hamas since 2007 and where more than 47,800 people have been killed in just over 15 months of war and about 90 percent of the population has been forced to leave their homes. EFE
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