Hamas gets guarantees of end to Gaza war, Israel approves ceasefire
Israel’s government has approved “phase one” of a ceasefire agreement, which will see captives exchanged and Israel withdraw from parts of Gaza, but details of how it fits into a wider plan to bring lasting peace remain unclear, Al Jazeera reports.
Khalil al-Hayya, the head of Hamas’s negotiating team, said the group has received guarantees from the US and mediators that an agreement on a first phase of the ceasefire agreement means the war in Gaza “has ended completely”.
The Israeli government’s ratification of the peace plan, which was confirmed in the early hours of Friday morning, paves the way for fighting in Gaza to stop within 24 hours, while Hamas has been given a 72-hour timeline to free Israeli captives.
The vote reportedly saw right-wing Israeli factions oppose the deal, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir earlier telling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he would not be part of any government “that will allow Hamas rule to continue in Gaza”.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump first announced the breakthrough in a post on social media, saying Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal.