A 24-hour ceasefire in Gaza is in effect Friday, after a late-night vote by ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to approve an initial deal with Hamas.

With the ceasefire in place , Israeli troops began to reposition, withdrawing to an agreed line well within the borders of the Gaza Strip – a move that started the clock on a high-stakes, 72-hour timeline for Hamas to release hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel and a surge of aid, under the terms of the agreement’s initial phase.

“The government has now approved the outline for the release of all abductees – living and dead,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement.

The deal comes after weeks of diplomacy that gained momentum earlier t

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