Jerusalem, Israel: Israel’s cabinet is set to meet, to approve a ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas in Gaza, raising hopes for an end to the 15-month conflict.
The agreement, which includes an initial six-week truce, is expected to begin on Sunday, 19th of January.
However, fighting continues, with Gaza’s civil defense agency reporting at least 20 Palestinian deaths since the deal was announced on Wednesday evening.
Israeli airstrikes last night killed more than 20 people, including 12 residents in a residential block in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. This prompted a massive Israeli offensive on Gaza, resulting in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The planned first stage of the ceasefire agreement involves the release of 33 hostages from Gaza in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
While the ceasefire has been announced, it has yet to be approved by Israel’s cabinet and would not take effect until Sunda, should it be approved.
Similar airstrikes have been launched by Israel in the lead-up to previous ceasefire agreements, including recent heavy bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, just before a ceasefire in November, 2024.
The ceasefire will temporarily halt the conflict as its terms are implemented, but it remains uncertain whether it will mark the end of the war.
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