Israeli security cabinet approves ceasefire and hostage deal
CNN
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed that a deal has been agreed upon with Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza. Follow for live news updates.
• Israel’s security cabinet approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal on Friday. The wider cabinet will convene for a vote on the deal later today. • Earlier, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed that a deal has been agreed with Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza. The agreement, which US officials expect to take effect Sunday, would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and lead to the phased release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. • Israeli bombardments killed dozens of people in Gaza since the announcement of the deal, marking the highest daily death toll in over a week. • International aid agencies welcomed the deal and vowed to scale up their work in Gaza. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees called for “rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access” to the strip to relieve the suffering caused by war. Young Palestinians in Gaza have described a mixture of hope, relief and terror ahead of the ceasefire agreement, which was agreed on Wednesday and is expected to come into effect on Sunday. Scenes of jubilation emerged across the Palestinian enclave on Wednesday, shortly after Israel and Hamas agreed on the ceasefire and hostage deal.
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