Israel to Implement Ceasefire and Release Hostages from Gaza

Israel’s cabinet has approved an agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, taking effect on Sunday 19 January, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Saturday 18 January. “The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages’ release will come into effect on Sunday,” the office stated. Following the Israeli cabinet’s approval of the agreement, Brett McGurk, the lead U.S. negotiator, stated that the plan was proceeding as scheduled. According to a post on X by a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry, the ceasefire is set to take effect at 6:30 a.m. GMT on Sunday. The ceasefire, which takes three stages, starts with an initial six-week phase where hostages held by Hamas get exchanged for prisoners and detainees jailed in Israel. In the first phase, starting Sunday 19 January, 33 of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, including women, children, men over 50, and ill or wounded captives, are set to be freed, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. The Palestinian prisoners set to be released…

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