Israel says hostage release deal reached after last-minute snags with Hamas

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Netanyahu's statement clears the way for Israeli approval of the deal, which would pause the fighting in Gaza and see dozens of hostages held by militants in the Strip released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

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00:00Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a deal to return the hostages held

00:07by Hamas in Gaza has been reached.

00:10It comes after his office said there were last-minute snags in finalizing the cease-fire

00:14announced on Wednesday.

00:16Netanyahu's statement appeared to clear the way for Israeli approval of the deal, which

00:20would pause 15 months of war in Gaza.

00:24It would also see dozens of hostages held by Hamas in the Strip released in exchange

00:29for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

00:32The deal would also allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the

00:37remains of their homes in Gaza.

00:40Israel had delayed a vote on the cease-fire on Thursday, blaming a last-minute dispute

00:44with Hamas for holding up approval.

00:47Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of reneging on part of the agreement in an attempt to

00:51gain further concessions.

00:53Hamas denied the claims, with a senior official saying the militant group is committed to

00:58the cease-fire agreement, which was announced by the mediators.

01:02The deal can't be implemented until it's approved by both the security cabinet and the government.

01:08Netanyahu is expected to convene the security cabinet later on Friday.

01:12A full cabinet meeting will take place on Saturday night.

01:17Hamas triggered the war with its attack on Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people

01:23and saw 250 others taken hostage.

01:27Israel responded with a devastating offensive that's killed over 46,000 Palestinians.

01:33The military campaign has leveled vast swathes of Gaza and forced around 90 percent of the

01:38population from their homes.

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