Israeli government gives final approval to cease-fire agreement with Hamas

The Israeli government officially approved the cease-fire agreement with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas following a meeting held by the cabinet of ministers.

The decision followed the recommendation made by the security cabinet, which met hours earlier.

According to Israeli media, 24 ministers voted for and eight against the ceasefire.

According to the first phase of the three-stage agreement, 33 hostages will be released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian terrorists, including hundreds sentenced to life imprisonment.

The release of the hostages is estimated to begin this Sunday and will be carried out over 42 days. Also, Israeli forces will begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.

Earlier, Israel's Prime Minister's Office issued a statement informing about the security cabinet's recommendation.

"After evaluating all political, security and humanitarian aspects, and understanding that the proposed agreement supports the objectives of the war, the cabinet recommended that the government approve the submitted plan," it said.

Two important ministers reject the agreement

Public Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, of the Jewish Power party, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, of Religious Zionism, voted against the agreement.

Earlier, both officials announced that they would withdraw from the governing coalition in case the cease-fire agreement was approved.

During the war cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, likely in an attempt to appease both ministers, that he had received assurances from U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump that if negotiations for the second phase of the agreement—set to begin 16 days after the start of the first—fail and Hamas does not accept Israel's security demands, the Jewish state will resume combat "with intensity," with Washington's support.

The hostages set to be released in the first phase of the agreement

As reported by the Israeli newspaper Ynet, the first hostages to be released will be Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Arbel Yehud, Doron Steinberger, and Shiri Bibas together with their young children Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

The five young women captured at the Nahal Oz military base - Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Daniela Gilboa and Naama Levy - will be released later.

Also on the list are ten men between the ages of 50 and 85: Ohad Ben Ami, Gadi Moses, Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, Eliyahu Sharabi, Itzik Elgart, Shlomo Mansour, Ohad Yahalomi, Oded Lifshitz and Tzahi Idan.

In addition, it is estimated that nine hostages who are wounded or ill will be released: Yarden Bibas (husband of Shiri and father of Ariel and Kfir), Sagi Dekel Hen, Yair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexander Trufanov, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Tal Shoham and Omer Shem Tov.

Under the plan, Avera Mengistu and Hisham Shaaban al-Sayed, who have been held in Gaza for more than a decade, will also be released.

The final stages of the agreement

As mentioned, after 16 days, as stipulated in the agreement, negotiations will begin on the second phase, during which Hamas will release the remaining live abductees and a permanent ceasefire will come into effect and the full withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza will take place.

In the third phase, the bodies of all the deceased hostages will be handed over and the reconstruction of Gaza will begin under the supervision of Egypt, Qatar and the UN.