File: Boys sit with empty pots as displaced Palestinians queue for meals provided by a charity organisation ahead of the fast-breaking “iftar” meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 16, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Israel’s government cabinet has been meeting for several hours to ratify the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
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Some ministers in favour of the deal have voted early, including Israel’s Education Minister Yoav Kisch, who says the cost is “very heavy, but we have an ultimate moral obligation to return our brothers and sisters home”.
He says the goals of the war, including the collapse of Hamas and the elimination of any threat from Gaza to Israel as well as the return of hostages, had not changed.
Kisch also says the incoming US President Trump will “do great things for the security and future of the State of Israel”.
The deals 1st phase
The first three Israeli hostages are due to be released on Sunday, under the terms of the ceasefire deal agreed between Hamas and Israel.
But what else should we expect in the first phase of the agreement?
- Full and complete ceasefire for six weeks
- Thirty-three Israeli hostages to be freed in total, with three on Sunday and the rest later, starting first with women and children and then men over 50.
- Israel to pull out its troops from all populated areas of Gaza and allow in 600 aid lorries per day.
- Thirty Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails to be released for every civilian hostage.
- Israel to free 50 Palestinian detainees for every female Israeli soldier.
- Israel to release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since 7 October 2023
- On day 16, detailed negotiations on the second and third stages begin. BBC
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