Israel security cabinet meets to decide whether to approve cease-fire deal with Hamas

Israel’s security cabinet meeting was underway Friday to decide whether to approve the long-awaited cease-fire deal with Hamas that would release dozens of hostages held captive in Gaza and pause the 15-month-war.The meeting, which was being held at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, comes after negotiators inked the deal in Qatar late Thursday — just hours after several setbacks threatened to upend the agreement.If the cabinet approves, the deal will then go to the government later Friday for final sign-off before the cease-fire goes into effect on Sunday.“Pending approval by the Security Cabinet and the Government, and the agreement taking effect, the release of the hostages will be implemented according to the planned framework in which the hostages are expected to be released on Sunday,” Netanyahu said in a statement on X as the meeting was underway.The PM had earlier said he had already instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza — and that their families had been informed the deal had been reached....