CAIRO - The Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved President Donald Trump's plan early Friday for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. It is a significant step towards ending the devastating war that has destabilized the Middle East for the past two years.
A brief statement issued by Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said the cabinet had approved a "draft" agreement for the release of the hostages, although other controversial aspects of the plan were not mentioned.
The comprehensive ceasefire plan has many unanswered questions, such as whether Hamas will disarm or who will govern Gaza. However, both sides appeared serious about the ceasefire. The war that has been going on for the past two years has killed thousands of Palestinians.
It has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, has led to famine-like conditions in some parts of the region, and has left dozens of live and dead hostages in Gaza. The war began with a deadly attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The war has sparked several other conflicts in the region.
The Hamas-led attack killed nearly 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli offensive has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza and injured nearly 170,000.
However, Israeli attacks continued hours before the Israeli cabinet vote. At least two people were killed and more than 40 others were buried under rubble in explosions in northern Gaza and a building attack in Gaza City on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 11 Palestinians were killed and 49 injured were brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours.