The Israeli cabinet was due to vote on an agreement to release all the remaining hostages in Gaza as part of Donald Trump’s plan to end the two-year war in the Palestinian territory.
The deal is expected to be approved despite strong opposition from far-right parties in Israeli Prime Minister’s Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
The meeting follows a session late on Thursday of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, a 12-person body that includes defence minister Israel Katz and foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar, which considered the agreement.
A Gaza ceasefire is expected to take effect once Netanyahu’s full cabinet has approved the deal.
The first phase of the US president’s peace plan, which he announced late on Wednesday, marks a breakthrough in his push to end a war that has killed tens of thousands of people, devastated Gaza and triggered conflicts across the Middle East.
“We ended the war in Gaza, and really, on a much bigger basis, created peace, and I think it’s going to be a lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace,” Trump said on Thursday.
The 48 hostages — 20 of whom are believed to be alive — are expected to be released in the days after the Israeli government approves the agreement, said people briefed on the situation.
Trump told his cabinet he expects the hostages to be released on Monday or Tuesday. He also said he will visit Egypt, where talks between delegations from Israel and Hamas have been taking place, as well as Israel in the coming days.
Under the terms of the ceasefire plan, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange and allow increased aid into Gaza. Israel will also pull its troops back from front lines in enclave in the first step of a phased redeployment.
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