Saturday, January 18, 2025 - Israel's security cabinet on Friday, January 17 approved the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, after over one year of war meaning that the war would could end by Sunday.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued overnight Friday, with
the Hamas-run civil defense agency saying 113 Palestinians have been killed
since a ceasefire and hostage deal was announced Wednesday evening.
Israel's security cabinet met early Friday morning to
discuss the deal with the Israeli team that was sent to the negotiations in
Qatar. The wider group of Israel's cabinet ministers was initially scheduled to
hold its separate vote on the deal on Saturday, but it was brought forward to
Friday afternoon.
Preparations were underway Friday to welcome the hostages
who would be released under the deal at various Israeli hospitals.
At the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, a private ward
was being made more comfortable, and a menu of special food was being prepared.
The hospital was setting up barriers for privacy. The plan was for the hostages
to arrive by helicopter.
At Sheba Hospital, plans were being made for a staff of
specialists to support the hostages arriving there, and fresh new clothes and
toiletries were being arranged for them.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's office said
Friday that, subject to security cabinet and government approval,
implementation of the plan for the release of the hostages in Gaza and the
exchange of Palestinian prisoners in Israel could begin on Sunday.
The first phase of that plan would last 42 days and see a
halt to the fighting and the exchange of 33 hostages in Gaza for up to 1000
Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. It would also see a drawdown of
Israeli troops in Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid.
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