Netanyahu-led Israel govt approves first phase of Trump's Gaza ceasefire resolution

Israel’s government early Friday morning formally approved the first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire and hostage release plan, paving the way for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza within the next 24 hours. The move marks the beginning of the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, aligning with the peace framework advanced by US President Donald Trump.

“The government has now approved the plan for the release of all hostages — the living and the fallen,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a brief post on X.

What does the Gaza ceasefire plan include?

The agreement, finalised in the early hours of Friday morning, outlines the release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces to an agreed position, and the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners.

A senior Hamas official, however, said that a “formal declaration” ending the war must precede the release of hostages.

According to mediators, the deal’s first phase will involve a halt in fighting within 24 hours, followed by the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours.

How is the United States involved?

The plan forms part of Donald Trump’s broader initiative to end the conflict in Gaza. A senior US official confirmed that 200 American troops will be deployed to the Middle East to monitor the plan’s implementation.

“No US troops are intended to go into Gaza,” the official clarified, emphasising that Washington’s role will be limited to oversight and coordination.

The US has been heavily involved in brokering the deal, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff playing visible roles in the negotiations. Both men attended the Israeli cabinet session in which the ceasefire plan was approved.

What did Kushner and Witkoff say about Netanyahu’s leadership?

Kushner and Witkoff publicly praised Prime Minister Netanyahu for his handling of the war and his willingness to take political risks to secure a ceasefire.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu made some very, very difficult calls, and lesser people would not have made those calls. And here we are today, because Hamas had to. They had to do this deal. The pressure was on them,” Witkoff said during the opening remarks of the cabinet meeting.

Kushner echoed the sentiment, saying the prime minister did a “great job in negotiations” and “held his lines firm” despite internal and international pressures.

Gaza Ceasefire Resolution: What happens next?

With cabinet approval secured, the ceasefire is expected to take effect immediately, according to Israeli officials. The coming days will test the durability of the agreement and the ability of both sides to adhere to the conditions laid out by US mediators.

For Israel, the focus will be on verifying the safe return of its hostages, while Hamas has sought assurances that Israel’s military operations will be fully halted before any prisoner releases take place.

A potential turning point in the Gaza conflict

The approval represents a pivotal moment in Trump’s renewed push to reshape Middle East diplomacy — one that intertwines American political ambition with Israel’s domestic and security challenges. For Netanyahu, it is both a diplomatic opportunity and a political gamble, testing his ability to navigate between domestic scepticism, US influence, and Hamas’s demands.

As the ceasefire clock begins to tick, the world’s attention turns once again to Gaza — and to whether this agreement marks a genuine step towards peace or simply a temporary pause in a deeply entrenched conflict.