Home » Netanyahu Cabinet to vote on Gaza ceasefire amid global reactions

Netanyahu Cabinet to vote on Gaza ceasefire amid global reactions

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet is set to vote on a ceasefire deal with Hamas, potentially ending over 15 months of intense conflict.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet is set to vote on a ceasefire deal with Hamas, potentially ending over 15 months of intense conflict.

If approved, the multiphase agreement will commence Sunday, halting hostilities and opening a pathway for humanitarian aid to flood into Gaza, where the United Nations reports that 1.9 million people have been displaced and 92% of housing destroyed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has strongly endorsed the ceasefire, declaring it a moral imperative. “This is the right move, an important move, and a necessary move,” Herzog stated. “There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back.”

However, the proposed deal faces opposition within the Israeli government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized it as “a bad and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel.”

The initial phase includes a 42-day ceasefire, the release of 33 hostages by Hamas, a phased Israeli military withdrawal, and increased humanitarian aid. Further negotiations will aim for a permanent resolution, including the release of remaining hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal. The final phase will focus on Gaza’s reconstruction under a new governance structure.

The conflict began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and led to more than 250 kidnappings. Gaza’s health authorities report over 46,700 Palestinian fatalities, predominantly women and children, due to Israeli military operations.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the deal with “overwhelming joy and relief,” yet expressed concerns about its full implementation. “We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out,” the forum stated.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire, emphasizing its importance for the return of American hostages. He urged President-elect Donald Trump to uphold the agreement. Trump, celebrating the deal on his social media platform, promised to expand the Abraham Accords and enhance U.S.-mediated peace efforts.

Analysts attribute the breakthrough partly to Trump’s recent threats, suggesting his pressure influenced Netanyahu. Mirette Mabrouk of the Middle East Institute noted, “Trump’s clear stance might have hastened this agreement.”

While the ceasefire marks a significant step, skepticism remains about achieving a long-term two-state solution. Jonathan Ruhe of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America expressed doubts about political will on both sides, suggesting that profound obstacles still hinder progress toward lasting peace.

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