Israel-Gaza Conflict: Israeli Cabinet Approves Ceasefire Agreement, Set to Begin on Sunday

Jan 18, 2025

Israel-Gaza Conflict — Israel’s cabinet has approved an agreement with Palestinian militant group Hamas on a ceasefire going into effect on Sunday. Reaching the breakthrough after weeks of negotiations, both sides agreed upon the phased return of hostages and prisoners, at least in one aspect of turning the tide after 15 long months of conflict within Gaza.

The agreement, which was approved after more than six hours of deliberations, could be the precursor to the end of hostilities that have devastated the region. Netanyahu’s office confirmed the approval of the deal and said, “The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages’ release will come into effect on Sunday.

Despite the declaration, Israel’s air strikes continue in Gaza. In the latest attack early Saturday morning, five civilians were killed in the Mawasi area near Khan Younis. This puts the total number of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardments since the announcement of the accord at 119.

The lead US negotiator, Brett McGurk, confirmed how far the deal has proceeded by stating in a live talk from the White House that they “have locked down every single detail in this agreement. We are quite confident. it is ready to be implemented on Sunday”.

The first stage of the ceasefire consists of swapping 33 of the remaining 98 Israeli hostages, consisting of women, children, and men over 50 years old. As a quid pro quo, Israel agreed to release Palestinian women and children under 19 years old from Israeli jails before the end of this stage.

After the first round, Israel’s Justice Ministry declared that 95 Palestinian prisoners would be released. U.S. envoy McGurk declared that four more female hostages would be released within seven days, and three more hostages every seven days thereafter.

Meanwhile, Gaza is facing a grave humanitarian crisis as civilians suffer from acute shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. International aid organizations, including the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), have stockpiled thousands of truckloads of supplies waiting to enter the coastal enclave. UNRWA said on Friday that 4,000 truckloads of aid—half of which are food—are waiting at Gaza’s borders.

For Palestinians in southern Gaza, long queues for limited food supplies have become a daily struggle. A local resident said on Friday, “We hope this truce will end these long hours waiting just for a plate of food.

This ceasefire agreement, though fragile, offers a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The global community watches closely, hoping it will lead to lasting peace and relief for those caught in the middle of the violence.