Netanyahu's office says a deal to release the hostages has been agreed


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that a “deal for the release of the hostages” had been reached.

Netanyahu postponed a cabinet vote to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal that was due on Thursday, accusing Hamas of seeking last-minute changes to the deal.

On Friday morning, his office said Netanyahu had been informed by the negotiating team that agreements had been reached on the deal.

He ordered the policy and security cabinet to meet later on Friday and the government “will then meet to approve the deal,” Netanyahu's office said. The families of the hostages have been informed, it added.

Representatives of Israel, Hamas, the United States and Qatar have officially signed the deal in Doha, Israeli media reported.

The ceasefire agreement was first announced on Wednesday by US and Qatari mediators.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani said the agreement would come into force on Sunday, pending Israeli cabinet approval.

At the time, Netanyahu said the final details of the deal were still being worked out, but he thanked Biden for “encouraging” it.

Netanyahu then delayed a cabinet vote to approve the deal on Thursday, accusing Hamas of trying to “extort last-minute concessions”.

Hamas has said it is committed to the deal, but the BBC understands it has been trying to add some of its members to the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released under the deal.

Although Israeli negotiators agreed to the deal, which follows months of talks, it cannot be implemented until it is approved by the security cabinet and the government.



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