Israel’s security cabinet on Friday, January 17 approved the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, after over one year of war meaning that the war would could end by Sunday.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued overnight Friday, with the Hamas-run civil defense agency saying 113 Palestinians have been killed since a ceasefire and hostage deal was announced Wednesday evening.
Israel’s security cabinet met early Friday morning to discuss the deal with the Israeli team that was sent to the negotiations in Qatar. The wider group of Israel’s cabinet ministers was initially scheduled to hold its separate vote on the deal on Saturday, but it was brought forward to Friday afternoon.
Preparations were underway Friday to welcome the hostages who would be released under the deal at various Israeli hospitals.
At the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, a private ward was being made more comfortable, and a menu of special food was being prepared. The hospital was setting up barriers for privacy. The plan was for the hostages to arrive by helicopter.
At Sheba Hospital, plans were being made for a staff of specialists to support the hostages arriving there, and fresh new clothes and toiletries were being arranged for them.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Friday that, subject to security cabinet and government approval, implementation of the plan for the release of the hostages in Gaza and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners in Israel could begin on Sunday.
The first phase of that plan would last 42 days and see a halt to the fighting and the exchange of 33 hostages in Gaza for up to 1000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. It would also see a drawdown of Israeli troops in Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid.