Israel’s government officially approved a ceasefire with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, on Friday, paving the way for a cessation of hostilities in Gaza within the next 24 hours and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza within 72 hours following that. The Israeli cabinet gave its consent to the agreement early on Friday, around a day after mediators disclosed a deal to release Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, marking the initial step of U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the two-year conflict in Gaza.
In a statement, the English-language account of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed, “The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages — the living and the deceased.”
The prolonged conflict has increased Israel’s international isolation and disrupted the Middle East, escalating into a regional crisis involving Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon. It has also strained the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, with Trump displaying impatience towards Netanyahu and urging him to finalize an agreement.
