Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is scheduled to meet this evening with key ministers and defense officials to discuss the terms of the hostage-ceasefire agreement, according to the Walla news site. This type of meeting on a Friday evening, leil Shabbos, is uncommon for the prime minister.
The consultations will include top officials from the defense establishment, including Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, as reported by the outlet. This news follows a report that the Israeli negotiating team is expected to return from Cairo later this evening.
Earlier in the day, two Egyptian sources revealed that Israel is looking to extend the current phase of the ceasefire by an additional 42 days. Hamas, however, is against this extension, insisting that the agreement proceed to the second phase as originally planned. According to the sources, the second phase is intended to include steps that will lead to a permanent resolution of the conflict, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
{Matzav.com}