The Israeli Security Cabinet, made up of the main ministers and senior defense officials, voted this Friday in favor of the ceasefire in Gaza and recommended that the Government ratify it in a meeting to be held at 3:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. GMT ).
“After examining all political, security and humanitarian aspects, and understanding that the proposed agreement supports the achievement of the war objectives, the Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs (Security Cabinet) recommended that the Government approve the proposed scheme,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office announced today.
The Government of Israel is scheduled to meet this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. to give the green light to the ceasefire agreed upon by the mediators with Hamas last Wednesday, as confirmed to EFE by an Israeli official under anonymity.
The families of the hostages press after the possibility that the first exchange will not arrive this Sunday
Israeli sources had previously said the meeting was to be held on Saturday night, after Shabbat, angering the hostages’ families, who said the delay brought ratification of the deal dangerously closer to Sunday, the day that the first hostages must be released in an exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
As agreed, the ceasefire comes into effect on Sunday at 12:15 p.m., and according to reports from the Israeli media Walla, the exchange of the first hostages will begin around 4:00 p.m. although at the moment there is no official time announcement.
While there are less than 48 hours left for this to happen, Israeli attacks continue in Gaza and since Qatar’s announcement of the truce last Wednesday, at least 113 Palestinians have died in Gaza, 87 of them in the bombed northern city of Gaza, and more than 260 have been injured, according to the latest figures from the Gazan Civil Defense.
Herzog, President of Israel: “I have no illusions: the agreement will bring with it great challenges and painful moments”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the Israeli Government this Friday to approve the ceasefire that must begin in Gaza on Sunday, moments after it was ratified by the Security Cabinet.
“I hope the government will follow suit and quickly approve this decision,” Herzog said in a statement. “This is a vital step in fulfilling the highest covenant between the State and its citizens. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish and Israeli duty than to bring all of our hostages home.”
After a few uncertain hours, and “last minute” discrepancies according to the Prime Minister’s Office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Security Cabinet ratified this Friday the agreement agreed with Hamas, which will begin this Sunday with the release of the first Israeli hostages after 469 of war and captivity.
“I have no illusions: the agreement will bring with it great challenges and painful and anguishing moments that we will have to overcome and face together. With all my heart, I embrace the families of the hostages, especially those who know that their loved ones will not return in the first stage,” the president continued.
According to the annex to the draft ceasefire to which EFE had access, this Sunday and progressively each week, a few Israeli hostages will be released up to a total of 33 in the first phase – giving priority to those under 19 years of age, those over 50 and women – in exchange for more than 1,700 Palestinian prisoners.
However, many relatives fear that, due to pressure from the far-right wing of religious Zionists, Israel will resume the war before the second phase, which is when the parties have committed to freeing the remaining civilians and male soldiers. into the hands of Hamas, to end up exchanging the bodies of dead hostages for those of dead combatants.
