Israel's cease-fire and hostage release agreement will take effect on Sunday, handing President-elect Trump an early foreign policy win just hours before his inauguration.
The deal was thrown into doubt Thursday after 11th-hour demands from Hamas and infighting within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, but those issues have reportedly been worked out.
“I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday,” Joe Biden's Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said.
Israel's cabinet will approve the cease-fire on Friday, followed by a vote in Israel's parliament, the Knesset.
“A few minutes ago I received a final announcement that all obstacles have been overcome and the deal is underway,” Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas party in the Knesset, said.
The cease-fire ends 15 months of war in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have been killed and dozens of Israelis held in captivity since Hamas' brutal October 7 assault.
The Israeli government has already contacted the families of 33 hostages who will be released over 42 days as part of "phase one."
In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and begin withdrawing its forces from Gaza. The parties still must negotiate the release of 65 remaining hostages, some of whom are presumed dead.
After more than a year of failed cease-fire negotiations by the Biden administration, a breakthrough was announced Wednesday.
"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Within hours of the deal being announced, Netanyahu cast doubt on whether it would be finalized as he accused Hamas of making surprise demands.
Netanyahu has also faced pressure from members of his right-wing coalition, who want assurances that the war will continue in the future until Hamas is eliminated. Some of Netanyahu's allies have threatened to quit the government if those demands are not met.
While Joe Biden has taken credit for the 11th-hour peace agreement, it was Trump who sealed the deal by putting pressure on Israel's government, dispatching his tough-talking negotiator, Steve Witkoff, to wrangle Israel.
Trump had also threatened Hamas, warning "all hell" would break out if hostages weren't freed before his inauguration on January 20th.
