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The Israeli government ratified the agreement early on Saturday morning after meeting for more than six hours.
The ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas will take effect at 08:30am (06:30 GMT) on Sunday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced in a post on X.
Read Also: Israeli Government To Convene For Ceasefire Discussions
“Based on the agreement between the parties… the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30am on Sunday. We advise our brothers to take precautions, exercise the utmost caution, and await instructions from official sources,” spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said in a tweet on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli government ratified the agreement after meeting for more than six hours, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement.
The deal was approved after more than 460 days of war in which Israeli forces have killed more than 46,788 Palestinians and wounded 110,453. It would see the release of 33 captives held in Gaza over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
In other news, Israel’s security cabinet was scheduled to convene on Friday, following the finalization of crucial details surrounding a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The announcement came as the United States expressed confidence that the truce would commence as outlined, with expectations that the ceasefire would take effect over the weekend, marking a significant step toward de-escalation in the region.
If ratified by Israel’s cabinet, the ceasefire agreement is set to take effect on Sunday, marking the start of an exchange process where Israeli hostages will be swapped for Palestinian prisoners. This tentative truce is seen as a precursor to broader negotiations, which, once concluded, will outline the terms for a permanent resolution to the ongoing conflict.
