The Israeli Cabinet has approved President Donald Trump‘s plan for a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of all the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
“The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages — the living and the deceased,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office wrote on X.
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WHAT THE TIMELINE OF THE GAZA PEACE DEAL LOOKS LIKE
The Israeli government’s vote to approve the peace plan marks a historic step in the move to end Israel’s war in Gaza that started after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. As more images of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza came to light this year, world leaders have put pressure on Netanyahu to let aid flow into Gaza and cease attacks on the Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu reiterated that the release of all the hostages has been a central war aim of the Israeli government as he gave remarks early Friday, flanked by the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. It is believed that there are 20 living hostages out of the 48 remaining under Hamas’s control.
“We’re about to achieve that goal. We couldn’t have achieved it without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” Netanyahu said, pointing to their work with the Israeli envoys. “That and the courage of our soldiers, who entered Gaza and combined military and diplomatic pressure that isolated Hamas, I think, brought us to this point.”
The hostages could be expected to be released on “Monday or Tuesday,” Trump said from the Oval Office in a clip he posted to his Truth Social page on Thursday.
Witkoff said Hamas “had to do this deal” as he sat next to Netanyahu early Friday.
The peace plan called for “full aid” to be immediately let into Gaza after Hamas and Israel agreed on the deal, given the starvation and destitution in Gaza.
Trump will visit Israel between Oct. 10-12 as the United States oversees a joint force of foreign troops to be sent to Gaza.