The Israeli cabinet has delayed its vote on the highly anticipated hostage-ceasefire deal until Saturday night, according to Channel 12. This postponement could push the deal’s implementation to Monday, instead of the originally planned Sunday start.

The cabinet is set to meet as planned on Friday to discuss the agreement, with deliberations continuing into Saturday evening before a final vote. Following the vote, a list of Palestinian security prisoners slated for release will be published, allowing a 48-hour period for opponents to file petitions with the Supreme Court.

The decision to delay the vote reportedly stems from concerns raised by the Prime Minister’s Office that holding the vote on Friday would leave opponents little time to lodge appeals before the Sabbath begins. Although judicial sources have indicated the 48-hour period for petitions can be shortened, as occurred during the November 2023 truce, the Prime Minister’s Office has opted for the extended timeline.

The ceasefire deal, brokered with Qatar’s mediation, is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, with the release of the first three Israeli hostages shortly after. In exchange, over 1,700 Palestinian prisoners are set to be freed, including 700 convicted terrorists and 47 individuals rearrested after the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal.