The Media Line: Security Cabinet Approves Hostage Release-Ceasefire Deal, Full Vote Pending

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Security Cabinet Approves Hostage Release-Ceasefire Deal, Full Vote Pending

The PMO stated that the decision was made after assessing the agreement’s “diplomatic, security, and humanitarian” implications. It added that the deal aligns with the goals of the ongoing conflict. However, the PMO did not disclose which members of the security cabinet voted in favor. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party have both declared their opposition to the deal, maintaining their hardline stance against the ceasefire.

Despite delays caused by bureaucratic processes, the government confirmed that the agreement is still on track for implementation starting Sunday. The High Court of Justice is expected to review petitions against the agreement but is unlikely to intervene, according to government sources. The full cabinet vote will be the final hurdle before the plan is enacted.

The government’s Hostages and Missing Persons Coordination Unit has begun notifying the families of the 33 Israeli hostages expected to be freed during the deal’s first phase. These so-called “humanitarian” cases include women, children, the elderly, and the infirm. However, Israel has yet to confirm how many of the 33 are alive, with Hamas promising to deliver a status report seven days into the ceasefire.

The release schedule will begin with three hostages on the first day of the truce, four on the seventh day, and three hostages each week for the following four weeks. The final week will see 14 hostages returned. The identities of the hostages will be shared with Israel 24 hours before each release.

Beyond the initial 33 hostages, Hamas is believed to hold another 65 people, many of whom are no longer alive. Their release would be part of a second phase, contingent on a broader ceasefire agreement.