The Israeli government “approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages, the living and the deceased,” the prime minister's office stated.
The Israeli government voted, after more than six hours of debate, to approve the first stage of a U.S.-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages—the living and the deceased,” Netanyahu’s office stated early in the morning on Friday, Israel time.
The breakdown of votes wasn’t immediately clear at press time, although the public Israeli broadcaster Kan News reported that the deal was approved over objections from Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock, Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Amichai Eliyahu.