Israel The Minister of Defense admitted on Friday that a an armistice agreement After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that an agreement had been reached that would end the 15-month standoff with Hamas in Gaza and release many people held hostage by terrorists there.

Qatari and US mediators announced a cease-fire on Wednesday, but the deal stalled for a day as Netanyahu insisted there was an end to the conflict, which he blamed on Hamas.

The militants said they were “committed” to the deal, while Gaza residents and the families of the hostages waited anxiously to see if it would happen.

The agreement now goes to all Cabinet ministers for their final signature. It is expected that the ceasefire, which could begin as soon as Sunday, has been strongly opposed by Netanyahu on the right of the coalition. But their opposition could undermine his government.

Hamas started a conflict with Oct. 7, 2023, a border attack in Israel that killed nearly 1,200 people and left another 250 captives.

Israel responded with a devastating massacre that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.

Beyond the death and destruction in Gaza, the conflict has also rocked the Middle East and sparked protests around the world.

On Thursday, Israel strikes killing at least 72 people in Gaza. In past conflicts, both sides have increased military activity in the final hours before fighting as a way to build momentum.

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Next after Israel, Hamas will accept a cease-fire agreement in Gaza?

Netanyahu told a special team to prepare to receive the prisoners who have returned from Gaza, and said their families had been informed of what had happened. The Prime Minister’s Office said that if the agreement is passed, the ceasefire could begin on Sunday and the first hostages could be released as well.

Under the deal, 33 of the 100 people left in Gaza are to be released within six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The Israeli army has withdrawn in many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been able to return to their remaining homes, and there has been humanitarian aid.

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The rest of the hostages, including the male soldiers, must be freed again – and more difficult – the part that will be discussed during the first time.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a long-term ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israel, while Israel has vowed to continue fighting until it ends the group and maintains an open security presence in the region.

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70+ killed in Gaza as Israel-Hamas halts peace deal

Jaher Jabareen, the head of Hamas’s prison monitoring office, said on Friday that the names of those expected to be released from Israeli prisons would be published, but did not say when.

Long-term questions about Gaza’s post-war situation remain, including who will govern the region or oversee the difficult reconstruction process.

An Egyptian official and Hamas official confirmed that the last-minute move was on a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli prisons during the first phase of the deal, but that has since been cancelled. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private discussions. A Hamas official said the mediators had expressed the Israeli group’s acceptance.

The Egyptian official added that Israeli delegations from the military and the Israeli internal security organization Shin Bet arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the reopening of the Rafah crossing, the main connection between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. An Israeli official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks, confirmed that a delegation was going to Cairo to discuss the crossing.

On Thursday, Israel’s hard-line defense minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened to resign if Israel agreed to a ceasefire. He reiterated this on Friday, writing on the website X: “If the ‘cooperation’ is done, we will leave the government with regret.”

Ben-Gvir’s resignation will not topple the government or undermine the ceasefire agreement, but the move could destabilize the government at a critical time and could eventually lead to its collapse if Ben-Gvir is linked to other key Netanyahu supporters.

Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt

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