Former hostage Keith Siegel and families of hostages attend a Security Affairs and Defense committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, July 8, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Under the terms, Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire taking effect.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has begun after the Israeli government ratified the agreement on Thursday evening, according to an official from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.
Following the Cabinet vote, a 24-hour period allows for potential appeals to the High Court of Justice.
Once that window closes, Hamas will have 72 hours to meet its obligations under the deal, including the release of all hostages, both living and deceased.
That timeline would push the final stage of releases to Monday, one day later than initially expected.
The ceasefire announcement came after intensive negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh involving US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, working alongside Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that both sides had agreed to the first phase of the ceasefire plan, describing it as “a step toward peace in the Middle East.”
He said, “The hostages will be released Monday or Tuesday. It is very complicated to bring them back, but we are returning them, and it will be a day of joy.”
The agreement, which was signed at noon in Egypt, remains informal, without a written document.
Under the terms, Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire taking effect.
Arab media also reported that the group has begun gathering the remains of deceased captives for return to Israel.
In parallel, Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar will form a joint task force to locate the bodies of hostages whose whereabouts are still unknown.
The force will use specialized equipment for excavation and demolition if needed to recover the remains.
Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing to realign its deployment across Gaza as part of the ceasefire implementation, following prior agreement on withdrawal maps.
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