The hostage deal with Hamas is on, Aryeh Deri, the chairman of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Shas Party who previously served as an observer on the War Cabinet, announced on Thursday night.

“A few minutes ago, I received the final word that all obstacles have been overcome and that the agreement is underway,” the Sephardic haredi politician declared in a speech at his party’s annual conference in Jerusalem. “Now they are working on the final technical wording.”