Israel, Hamas poised for Gaza ceasefire after key talks

The Israeli cabinet is set to meet on Friday to approve an agreement with Hamas concerning a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This was reported by Israeli media, citing government sources. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope that the ceasefire will come into effect on Sunday.

Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri announced that all obstacles preventing the implementation of the agreement have been removed. “A few minutes ago I received a final announcement that all obstacles have been overcome and the deal is underway,” Deri stated during a conference. He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is responsible for reaching the agreement.

The Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, announced that he would leave the government if the Israeli military withdraws from the Philadelphi Corridor before achieving war goals, such as toppling Hamas and freeing hostages. This is one of the key issues in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed confidence that the ceasefire will be implemented as planned. “It's not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end. We're tying up that loose end as we speak,” Blinken said at a press conference. He spoke with American negotiator Brett McGurk and Qatari officials to finalize the agreement.