Israel’s cabinet approves Gaza deal with Hamas

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Israel’s cabinet approves Gaza deal with Hamas

The agreement calls for an immediate end to the fighting, the withdrawal of the military and the release of the hostages. This seems to clear the way for an end to the war. But the mistrust is great.

Israel’s government has agreed to the hard-won agreement with the Islamist Hamas, paving the way for an immediate end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip. According to the text of the agreement published by the Kan television station, military operations are to be stopped immediately following the cabinet decision and aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip are to be made possible. The agreement also stipulates that all hostages held by Hamas and other terrorists will be handed over within 72 hours. There are still 48 hostages in the Gaza Strip, of which, according to Israeli information, 20 are alive – including German citizens.

Several far-right ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government voted against the deal with Hamas, including Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, according to media reports.

During indirect negotiations in the Egyptian coastal town of Sharm el-Sheikh, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on the first phase of the 20-point peace plan recently presented by US President Donald Trump. In addition to the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey also took part in the talks as mediators. The Hamas leadership declared the Gaza war over after the breakthrough in negotiations. However, several key points of contention remain unresolved.

Almost at the same time as the cabinet decision, the White House announced that the USA wanted to support compliance with the ceasefire with its own troops. The US military command center responsible for the region (Centcom) will provide 200 soldiers, but they will not be deployed in the Gaza Strip, senior US government officials said in a telephone call with journalists.

The aim is to set up a joint control center in which armed forces from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and probably also the United Arab Emirates will also be involved, it said. The center should bring together the various security forces and coordinate operations with the Israeli army. Where exactly the soldiers will be stationed is still being determined and will be announced later.

The international mission is intended to secure the ceasefire. There is not much confidence on either side that the plan will actually be followed, senior US government officials said. For example, Hamas fears that Israel could resume military operations at a later date. There is great fear of what will happen next.