Israeli Cabinet approves Trump-backed Gaza ceasefire and hostage release | World News
US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israel’s Prime Miner Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sept 29, Washington. (AP Photo)
Israel’s Cabinet early Friday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all remaining hostages held Hamas, marking a crucial step toward ending a devastating two-year conflict in the region. A statement from Prime Miner Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Cabinet had approved the “outline” of a deal to release hostages, without addressing other, more contentious elements of the plan.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that the ceasefire would begin immediately after government approval, with the Israeli military given 24 hours to withdraw to an agreed-upon line. The broader plan leaves many questions unanswered, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. The sides, however, appear closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, and left dozens of hostages in captivity.
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The war, which began with Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, has also sparked wider regional tensions, global protests, and accusations of genocide that Israel denies. The Hamas assault killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. In Israel’s subsequent offensive, Gaza’s Health Minry reports more than 67,000 Palestinians killed and nearly 170,000 wounded, roughly half of them women and children.
In the hours before the Cabinet vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were reported in northern Gaza, and an airstrike on a Gaza City building killed at least two people and trapped more than 40 under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.
Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya outlined key elements of the deal Thursday: the release of around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border with Egypt, allowing aid to flow, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. He added that all women and children held in Israeli jails would also be freed, though he did not provide details on the withdrawal’s extent. “We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,” al-Hayya said in a televised speech.
US officials said they would send roughly 200 troops to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire as part of a broader international effort.
In Gaza city Khan Younis, residents greeted the news with cautious optimism. “I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, families of hostages celebrated with champagne and tears of joy.
Under the deal, Hamas is expected to release all living hostages within days, while Israeli forces begin withdrawing from much of Gaza. Some 20 of the 48 remaining hostages are believed to be alive, according to sources familiar with the agreement. Trump, in a video with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said, “They are all coming back on Monday.”
The deal, expected to be signed in Egypt, includes a l of Palestinian prisoners to be released and maps for Israel’s initial withdrawal. Five border crossings, including Rafah between Gaza and Egypt, will reopen. Tom Fletcher, UN humanitarian chief, said 170,000 metric tonnes of aid are ready to enter Gaza once clearance is given.
The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain a military presence along its border and an international force, mostly from Arab and Muslim countries, to ensure security inside Gaza. The US would lead a large reconstruction effort, while the Palestinian Authority could eventually play a role after a long reform process. The plan offers little clarity on the future of a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu continues to reject.
