The Israeli cabinet has approved a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and a prisoner exchange with Hamas, which will take effect on January 19.
This was reported on the Israeli government portal.
The document was considered after approval by the Cabinet of Ministers for Security Affairs at a meeting on January 17. According to Bloomberg, the agreement was supported by the entire government, despite the opposition of some far-right officials.
The ceasefire and the first exchange of hostages and prisoners is set to begin the day before Donald Trumpʼs inauguration as the US president on January 20. The agreement also provides for increased humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Both Trump and current US President Joe Biden pushed the parties to the conflict towards an agreement, the publication writes.
Earlier, the Israeli Justice Ministry released a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners who will be released on the first day of the truce in exchange for Israeli hostages. This was done to give people the opportunity to challenge the release of specific people in the High Court of Justice. Israel will not release anyone before 4:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.
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Gaza ceasefire agreement
On the evening of January 15, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. This was confirmed by the US President-elect Donald Trump. The move could ease tensions in the Middle East, where conflicts continue in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
In the first phase, IDF will withdraw to within 700 meters of the Gaza Strip, Israel will release approximately 2 000 Palestinians and Hamas will release 33 Israeli prisoners. Israel will allow the wounded in Gaza to move through the territory to receive medical care and will open the Rafah crossing with Egypt. IDF troops will begin to withdraw from the Philadelphia Corridor.
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