Israel’s cabinet is poised to vote on a ceasefire agreement that would bring an end to hostilities in Gaza, following an announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a deal has been reached for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The agreement, which is expected to be put to a vote by the Israeli cabinet, marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire in the region. If approved, the deal would not only secure the release of the hostages but also pave the way for a broader ceasefire agreement, potentially bringing much-needed relief to the people of Gaza and southern Israel.

Israel’s security cabinet will meet today to give final approval to a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said.

The first hostages could be released as early as Sunday if the agreement is approved today, the office said.

A ceasefire deal, which would see an end to Israel’s 15-month war on Gaza, was announced on Wednesday evening after months of negotiations between Israel and the militant group controlling the enclave.

It would also see Israel free between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in return for the release of the hostages, as well as a surge of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.

However, on the day after the truce was unveiled, Israeli warplanes kept up intense strikes on Gaza, with Palestinian authorities saying 86 people were killed on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, when the Israeli government was expected to vote on the pact, Mr Netanyahu said there were last-minute snags for which he blamed Hamas – but which the militant group denied responsibility for.

Hamas said issues regarding the ceasefire deal were resolved on Friday.

In the early hours of today, Mr Netanyahu’s office said approval of the deal – which aims to stop a war triggered by the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas which saw 1,200 people killed in southern Israel and about 250 people taken hostage – was imminent.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached on a deal to release the hostages,” his office said in a statement.

Mr Netanyahu said he would convene his security cabinet today and then the government to approve the agreement.

It was not immediately clear whether the government would meet today or tomorrow, or whether there would be any delay to the start of the ceasefire on Sunday.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said yesterday that a “loose end” in the negotiations needed to be resolved.

A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this was a dispute over the identities of some prisoners that Hamas wanted released.

Envoys of President Joe Biden and president-elect Donald Trump were in Doha with Egyptian and Qatari mediators working to resolve it, the official said.

Meanwhile, President Biden said that Mr Netanyahu “has to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns” of Palestinians for the long-term sustainability of Israel.

“And the idea that Israel is going to be able to sustain itself for the long term without accommodating the Palestinian question… It’s not going to happen,” Mr Biden, who hands over to Mr Trump on Monday, said in an interview on MSNBC.

“And I kept reminding my friend, and he is a friend, although we don’t agree a whole lot lately, Bibi Netanyahu, that he has to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns of a large group of people called Palestinians, who have no place to live independently.”

The Israel-Gaza conflict has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,139 people, including 695 Israeli civilians, 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces . The attack, codenamed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, involved over 7,000 Hamas militants and supporters, who breached the Gaza-Israel border in 119 locations, using trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats, and powered paragliders ¹.

Since the start of the conflict, thousands of people have been affected, with many displaced, injured, or killed. The war has also had a significant impact on the economy and infrastructure of both Israel and Gaza. The international community has condemned the violence and called for a ceasefire, but the conflict continues to this day.

As the situation remains volatile, our thoughts are with the families of the victims and those affected by the conflict. We hope for a peaceful resolution and an end to the suffering of innocent civilians.