Israeli Cabinet OKs ceasefire; count down to hostages’ release

U.S. forces confirmed the Israeli military withdrew to its agreed-upon lines in a ceasefire deal with Hamas, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Friday morning. The terror group’s 72-hour period to release the hostages in Gaza had begun, he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s full cabinet voted on Friday morning to approve the first phase of the Israel-Hamas peace deal, according to a translation of a government document. The deal included a ceasefire within 24 hours and ordered the hostages’ release within three days of Israeli withdrawal from some parts of Gaza. At least five of the cabinet members opposed the deal, according to the Times of Israel. The cabinet did not vote on a resolution to end the war.

Twenty Israeli hostages are thought to be alive, while 28, including four non-Israelis, are believed dead according to a translation of a resolution from the Israeli government. Hamas has until mid-Monday Israeli time to release both the living and dead, though Israeli authorities were aware that some dead hostages might not be located in that window, according to the Times of Israel.

As Israeli troops withdrew, thousands of Gaza residents were spotted returning to northern areas of the enclave, including Gaza City, according to the BBC.

Besides the ceasefire, what else did Israel agree to do?

• Withdraw its military from some territory in Gaza along predetermined lines.

• Release 270 Palestinian prisoners from its prison system. Those convicted of murder, making murder weapons, or helping with terror attacks are permanently banned from Israel and the West Bank.

• Release 1,700 Gaza residents who weren’t involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks from custody.

• Transfer the bodies of 360 terrorists to Gaza.

• Allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

What did Netanyahu and U.S. negotiators say about the deal? Israel was about to achieve one of its central war aims—freeing the hostages, both living and dead, Netanyahu said in an address to his cabinet. Diplomatic pressure from the United States combined with Israeli military operations deep in Gaza made the current peace deal possible, he said.

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and one of the U.S. negotiators, praised the courage and strategy of Israel’s military. He also said Netanyahu held the line on concessions Israel would make during negotiations. Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, wished at times that Israel would be more flexible during negotiations, but said that Netanyahu’s ability to make difficult calls enabled the passage of the deal.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s story on Trump’s comments about the deal and plans to visit Israel.