Israeli security cabinet approves ceasefire deal

In the early hours of Saturday after meeting for more than six hours, the government ratified the agreement, Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

Under the deal, bitterly opposed by some cabinet hardliners, a six-week ceasefire is due to take effect on Sunday, with the first of a series of hostage-for-prisoner exchanges that could open the way to ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

Following an evaluation of all diplomatic, security and humanitarian aspects, and while understanding that the proposed deal supports the achievement of the objectives of the war, the Security Cabinet has recommended that the Government approve the proposed framework.— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 17, 2025

Media reports said 24 ministers in Netanyahu's coalition government voted in favour of the deal while eight opposed it.

On Friday, the Israeli security cabinet voted in favour of the ceasefire accord, the first of two approvals required.

In the Gaza Strip itself on Friday, Israeli warplanes kept up heavy strikes and medics and rescue authorities said that at least 104 Palestinians, including 58 women and children, had been killed since the deal was announced on Wednesday.

Under the six-week first phase of the three-stage deal, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children and men over 50.

Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase.

The war between Israeli forces and Hamas has displaced most of the Gaza Strip's population. (AP PHOTO)

The total number of Palestinians released will depend on hostages released and could be between 990 and 1650 Palestinians, including men, women and children.

The Israeli Justice Ministry on Friday released a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in the first exchange on Sunday.

Hamas said in a statement that obstacles that arose on the terms of the ceasefire agreement have been resolved.

After a last-minute delay on Thursday that Israel blamed on Hamas, Netanyahu's office in the early hours of Friday said Israel's security cabinet would meet to approve the ceasefire accord.

The deal faced strong opposition from hardliners in Netanyahu's coalition, who said it was a capitulation to Hamas, which had controlled the Gaza Strip.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to resign if it was approved but he said he would not bring down the government.

Following the security cabinet meeting, Ben-Gvir repeated his opposition to the ceasefire deal in a statement and called on members of the full cabinet to join him in voting against it.

His fellow hardliner Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also threatened to quit the government if it does not go back to war to defeat Hamas after the first six-week phase of the ceasefire was completed.

In Gaza, the air strikes continued.

In the aftermath of one strike on tents housing displaced people, a boy picked through damaged items on the floor that was littered with canned food and coffee pots.

That attack killed two people and wounded seven at an encampment close to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, according to medics.

Also in Khan Younis, mourners gathered around the body of a man killed in an Israeli strike as women hugged each other and cried.

"Life has become an unbearable hell," resident Jomaa Abed al-Aal said.

There was no comment from the Israeli military on the latest strikes.

Israel says 98 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip and about half are believed to be alive.

They include Israelis and non-Israelis.

Of the total, 94 were seized in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and four have been held since 2014.

For the first time, Israeli authorities have officially informed hostage families of the names of the first 33 to be released but it remains unclear how many of those on the list are still alive.