Israel's Cabinet Will Hold An Approval Meeting On Gaza's Armistice Today

JAKARTA - The Israeli cabinet will hold a meeting today to grant final approval for a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

The long-standing split between Israeli ministers, made the vote, which was originally scheduled to take place yesterday, had to be postponed to Hamas and then accused of being the source of the delay.

However, PM Netanyahu's office said in the early hours of Friday that approval was imminent.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was told by the negotiating team that an agreement had been reached regarding the release of the hostages," the Israeli PM said in a statement.

It is planned that the security cabinet will meet on Friday before a full cabinet meeting after which to approve the deal.

It is unclear whether the full cabinet will meet on Friday or Saturday or whether there will be a delay in the start of the ceasefire on Sunday.

Earlier, White House spokesman John Kirby said Washington believed the deal was in line with plans and a ceasefire would be implemented "as soon as this weekend."

"We didn't see anyone telling us this was going to slip at this point," he told CNN on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a group representing the Israeli hostage family in Gaza, 33 of whom will be released in the first six weeks of the deal, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move forward quickly.

"For the 98 hostages, every night is a terrible nightmare night. Don't delay their return even for another night," the group said in a statement Thursday night.

Meanwhile, senior Hamas official Izzat el-Reshiq said the group remained committed to a ceasefire agreement.

In the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday PM Netanyahu should "find a way to accommodate legitimate concerns" from Palestine for Israel's long-term sustainability.

"And Israel's idea will be able to defend itself for the long term without accommodating the Palestinian issue, that's not going to happen," President Biden said in an interview on MSNBC.

Israel's acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the security cabinet and the government.

Several political analysts have speculated that the start of the ceasefire, scheduled for Sunday, could be postponed if Israel does not complete approval until Saturday.

The hardline faction in PM Netanyahu's government, which says the war has not yet reached its goal of destroying Hamas and must not end until Hamas is completely over, hopes to thwart the deal.

Nonetheless, the majority of ministers are expected to support the deal.

Wednesday's gradual ceasefire deal is the fruit of Qatar, Egypt and the United States mediation.

The deal outlines an initial six-week ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Dozens of hostages being held by Hamas including women, children, parents and sick people will be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.

This paved the way for a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza, where the majority of its population displaced, facing hunger, disease, and cold.