Israel's cabinet will convene on Friday to approve ceasefire agreement

"The negotiations have been concluded, and they are now working on drafting everything before issuing an official announcement," Deri said.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a special government conference on Jerusalem Day at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem, on June 5, 2024.  (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a special government conference on Jerusalem Day at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem, on June 5, 2024.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Israel's cabinet is expected to convene on Friday to approve the arranged Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal after reports surfaced on Thursday evening that there has been a resolution to previous disputes that prevented the arrangement from coming to fruition earlier.

Israel said it had delayed holding the initially planned cabinet meeting on Thursday that would have finalized the deal, blaming Hamas for the hold-up.

The setback involved a disagreement on the identities of several prisoners Hamas demanded to be released, a US official said earlier on Thursday, according to a Reuters report. 

However, later on Thursday evening, Axios reported that the final disputes had been resolved, citing an unnamed US official.

In line with this report, MK and Head of Shas political party Aryeh Deri said he received a message that all disputes over the final stages of the hostage deal with Hamas have been resolved.

 Shas leader MK Aryeh Deri at a party meeting, in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 30, 2023. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Shas leader MK Aryeh Deri at a party meeting, in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 30, 2023. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

Announcement of conclusion of negotiations

"On the way here [to a Shas party conference], I received a message that, thank God, all disputes have been resolved, even on the final points," Deri said.

"The negotiations have been concluded, and they are now working on drafting everything before issuing an official announcement. [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu made one of the toughest decisions he has ever faced," he added.

Reuters contributed to this report.