Israel’s security cabinet on Friday recommended approving the ceasefire and hostage agreement with Hamas, leaving one more step before its implementation. The deal still needs to be approved by the full Israeli cabinet, then its implementation is expected to begin on Sunday.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued overnight Friday, with the Hamas-run civil defense agency saying 113 Palestinians have been killed since announcing a ceasefire and peace deal. hostages Wednesday evening.
Huda Matrabie, a Palestinian from northern Gaza, told CBS News’ sister network BBC News that the prospect of the deal had given her hope, but that “with that hope comes real fear.” » that the deal could collapse.
“Fear is not just about the immediate danger, but also about the emotional toll: constant uncertainty and the ever-present feeling that our lives are not really our own,” she said.
Families of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv on Friday to call for the deal to be finalized.
“This agreement comes too late for my son Guy, whose life will not be saved. But he can be brought home to be buried here,” said Michel Illouz, whose 26-year-old son was kidnapped at the music festival Nova in October. On December 7, 2023, he would have died in Gaza, a gathered crowd was told. “Our work is not done. We will not rest until all the hostages are home, alive and dead. They must all return to us, to their families.”
Israel’s security cabinet met early Friday to discuss the deal with the Israeli team sent to negotiations in Qatar. The broader group of Israeli ministers was initially scheduled to hold its separate vote on the deal on Saturday, but this was brought forward to Friday afternoon.
Preparations were underway Friday to accommodate the hostages who would be released under the deal at various Israeli hospitals.
At the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, a private room was made more comfortable and a menu of special dishes was prepared. The hospital erected barriers to preserve privacy. The hostages were expected to arrive by helicopter.
At Sheba Hospital, plans were made for a team of specialists to assist the arriving hostages, and new clothes and toiletries were prepared for them.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Friday that, subject to security cabinet and government approval, the implementation of the plan to release hostages in Gaza and exchange Palestinian prisoners in Israel could begin Sunday.
The first phase of this plan would last 42 days and would see a cessation of fighting and the exchange of 33 hostages in Gaza for up to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. It would also lead to a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid.
