Newsletters
The Gaza ceasefire agreement will take effect only after receiving Israeli cabinet approval, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday, as regional and international leaders welcomed the deal.
Israeli ministers were called to a meeting at 6:00 p.m. Thursday with the agenda of "draft for the release of hostages," the Prime Minister's Office said.
The ceasefire agreement will take effect after the cabinet approves it, the office said.
"Contrary to Arab media reports, the 72-hour countdown will begin only after the agreement is approved in the cabinet meeting, which is expected in the evening hours," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a Gaza deal involving the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, with the swap set to occur within 72 hours of the deal's implementation.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz stated on Thursday that Türkiye welcomes the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza, saying, "Although long overdue, we welcome with great satisfaction the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza."
"We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to this outcome, particularly to our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan," Yilmaz said on the Turkish social media platform.
Yilmaz said Ankara will continue to stand by the Palestinian people and will closely monitor implementation of the deal, stating, "Ultimately, the complete end of the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, will ensure permanent security, peace and stability for all."
Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also stated that the efforts of all mediating actors, especially Türkiye, are commendable: "It must never be forgotten that the fundamental condition for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region is a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders."
Trump is expected to visit Israel on Sunday (Oct. 12) following the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
Trump plans to address the Israeli parliament during the visit and wants to meet with Israeli hostages if their physical and mental health permits, the report said.
However, Trump previously said Israeli hostages would be handed over on Monday, Oct. 13. For Trump to meet with hostages, Hamas would need to release them on Sunday instead of Monday, the report said.
Netanyahu invited Trump to Israel in a phone call following the ceasefire agreement.
The 20-point plan, first announced Sept. 29, includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children.
The relentless bombardment has left Gaza largely uninhabitable, leading to widespread starvation and disease.
1 min read
3 min read
