Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

A woman and child walk outside their tent at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, yesterday Alamy Stock Photo

Ceasefire in Gaza due to begin tomorrow morning at 8.30am

Israel’s cabinet voted to approve the ceasefire deal early today, ending days of uncertainty about whether the truce would go into effect this weekend.

LAST UPDATE | 18 Jan

A CEASEFIRE IN the Gaza war will begin on Sunday morning, mediator Qatar said after Israel’s cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.

Since Qatar and the United States, which mediated the deal along with Egypt, announced the agreement on Wednesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued.

Today, Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency said at least five members of a family were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after air raid sirens blared and the military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen, whose Iran-backed Huthi rebels say they support the Palestinians.

The Huthis said they targeted the Israeli defence ministry, before air raid sirens sounded again in southern Israel in the afternoon and the military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

“As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8.30am (06.30am Irish time) tomorrow morning,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.

In more than 15 months of war between Hamas and Israel, there has been only one previous truce, for one week, in November 2023. That deal also saw the release of hostages held by the militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

“The government has approved the hostage return plan,” the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the cabinet vote.

Netanyahu’s office said the deal “supports achieving the objectives of the war”.

Speaking late today, the Israeli prime minister said that Israel reserves the right to resume fighting in Gaza with US support.

“We reserve the right to resume the war if necessary, with American support,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

“We are thinking of all our hostages … I promise you that we will achieve all our objectives and bring back all the hostages,” he said.

“With this agreement, we will bring back 33 of our brothers and sisters, the majority (of them) alive,” he said. He said the 42-day first phase, which starts on Sunday, was a “temporary ceasefire.”

Hamas said Israel had “failed to achieve its aggressive goals” and “only succeeded in committing war crimes that disgrace the dignity of humanity”.

Israel’s justice ministry said 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed as part of the deal’s first phase – none before 4.00pm (2pm Irish time) tomorrow.

The prime minister’s office also called for Hamas to issue a list of names of hostages to be freed before any prisoner swap takes place.

“We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed,” his office said.

Trump

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has said an initial 42-day ceasefire would see 33 hostages released by militants in Gaza.

Sheikh Mohammed told Sky News the framework signed this week was the same as one agreed on 23 December, adding it amounted to “13 months of a waste of negotiating details”.

The truce is to take effect on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration for a second term as US president.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has completed preparations “to assume full responsibility in Gaza” after the war.

Israel has expressed no definitive stance on post-war governance beyond rejecting any role for either Hamas or the PA. Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Gaza should be under PA control.

Ahead of the truce, displaced Gazans prepared to return home.

“I will go to kiss my land,” said Nasr al-Gharabli, who fled his home in Gaza City for a camp further south. “If I die on my land, it would be better than being here as a displaced person.”

Jerusalem residents said the deal had been a long time coming.

“Hopefully a maximum amount of hostages will be coming back”, said Beeri Yemeni, a university student. “Maybe this is the beginning of (the) end of suffering for both sides, hopefully,” he said, adding that “the war needed to end like a long long time ago.”

Israel’s cabinet endorsement of the deal came despite eight ministers voting against it, including far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

 © AFP 2025

Need more information on what is happening in Israel and Palestine? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to navigating the news online.

Close
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds