Media has learned of the Israeli government's approval of the Gaza ceasefire deal
The government of Israel after a six-hour meeting approved an agreement with the Palestinian movement Hamas on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Palestinian hostages. This was reported on January 17 by the Israeli portal Walla.
"The ceasefire agreement and the hostage deal were passed by a majority: 24 ministers against eight," the portal said.
Also, according to the portal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced US guarantees of renewed hostilities against Hamas if the movement violates the agreement.
"President[US President Donald] Trump fully supports Israel in its desire to return to war if the agreement is violated," Netanyahu said, adding that it was Hamas that prevented the agreement.
Earlier, on January 17, The Jerusalem Post reported that in the first stage, Hamas would release 33 Israeli hostages - children, women (including military), men over 50 and "humanitarian hostages " - in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. In addition, representatives of the Palestinian movement and Israel signed the final version of the deal in the Qatari capital Doha.
The Gaza ceasefire agreement became known on January 15. The next day, the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparations for the implementation of the agreement. In particular, the State Defense Ministry's Directorate of Checkpoints and the Design Department will be involved in the implementation of the deal in order to speed up logistics.
At the same time, the IDF launched a massive strike on Gaza that killed at least 30 Palestinians. Netanyahu's office later accused Hamas of attempting blackmail and backing out of part of the agreements. The movement, in turn, said that the Israeli army attacked the place where one of the hostages was held.
The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected Israeli territory to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.
