Israeli security cabinet approves hostage exchange plan, to release 95 Palestinian captives

Israel’s justice ministry announced that it will begin releasing Palestinian prisoners starting Sunday, after the publication of a list of 95 prisoners to be freed as part of the first exchange for Israeli captives under the new Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The release is subject to government’s approval of the ceasefire plan and will not take place before 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Israel’s security cabinet voted to approve the ceasefire and hostage release deal on Friday, which would mark a major step toward ending one of the deadliest conflicts in Gaza’s history.
The deal, negotiated by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, would halt the ongoing violence, which has led to significant casualties on both sides.
The ceasefire agreement also includes provisions for the release of hostages who have been held by Hamas since the group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Over the coming weeks, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails are expected to be freed as part of the broader deal.
Despite the ceasefire arrangement, Israeli airstrikes have continued, with Israel’s military reporting that it targeted around 50 locations in Gaza in a 24-hour period on Thursday.
The full Israeli cabinet is set to convene later Friday to give the final approval for the deal. If confirmed, the ceasefire will coincide with the eve of Donald Trump‘s inauguration as the next US president.