On Friday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which provides for the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in prisons, and the cessation of hostilities, despite loud protests from the prime minister's far-right coalition partners.
“For the past two years, we have been fighting to achieve our military goals,” Netanyahu said in English in the presence of senior Trump aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. “One of the main military goals is the return of hostages, all hostages, alive and dead. And we are close to achieving this goal.”
The Israel Defense Forces will now withdraw to new positions inside the Gaza Strip, and within 72 hours, Hamas will release all hostages.
As writes The Times of Israel, at least five government ministers opposed the agreement, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lead parties in Netanyahu's coalition.
Ben Gvir's demand to veto the release of certain Palestinian prisoners, including convicted terrorists, delayed the security cabinet meeting on the ceasefire agreement, as well as the subsequent vote of the entire government on the ratification of the agreement, reports “Kan.” The ultranationalist minister got into a skirmish with Kushner and Witkoff, stating that in the US, they do not release terrorists like those being released under the agreement, the television company reports.
The agreement consists of several points. After the cabinet's approval, all military operations will cease. Humanitarian aid and essential supplies will begin to be imported into the Gaza Strip, the next step is the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces to pre-agreed lines within 24 hours. Then, within 72 hours after the withdrawal of Israeli troops, “all Israeli hostages, alive and deceased, held in Gaza, will be released.”
It is separately stated that “the exchange of hostages and prisoners will be carried out in accordance with a mechanism agreed through intermediaries and through the ICRC, without any public ceremonies or media coverage.”
The final point talks about the formation of a working group consisting of representatives from the US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries agreed upon by the parties, to monitor the implementation of the agreement by both sides and coordinate with them.
Photo: Maayan Toaf / GPO