Hostages in Gaza
Hostages in GazaChaim Goldberg/Flash 90

Representatives of Israel, Hamas, the US and Qatar officially signed the hostage deal in Doha early Friday morning.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been updated by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached on a deal for the release of the hostages.”

“The Prime Minister has directed that the Security Cabinet be convened later on Friday. The Government will be convened later in order to approve the deal.”

“Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the negotiating team and all those who assisted. The Prime Minister's Office Authority for the Hostages and Missing has updated the families of the hostages. The Prime Minister has also directed the Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing to coordinate the preparations to receive the hostages upon their return to Israel.”

“The State of Israel is committed to achieving all of the objectives of the war including the return of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” the statement said.

On Thursday evening, a diplomatic source said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insistent on finalizing all the details of the hostage deal before bringing it to the vote of the Security Cabinet and the government.

"Netanyahu strongly refused Hamas's demand to change the deployment of troops in on the Philadelphi Corridor and thus he is standing firmly against Hamas's other demands today, which deviate from the understandings that were reached during the negotiations. It seems that this insistence bears fruit, but until the matters are completely finalized, Prime Minister Netanyahu will not convene the Cabinet and government."

Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced on Thursday that if the hostage deal with Hamas is approved by the Cabinet, he and his party will resign from the government.

"The deal that is being formed is reckless," Ben Gvir stated.

"When you see the jubilation of the Hamas supporter (MK) Ayman Odeh, the dancing in Gaza, and the celebrations in the villages of Judea and Samaria - you understand which side is surrendering in this deal. Therefore, if this reckless deal is approved and implemented, the Otzma Yehudit party will not be part of the government and will leave it," the Minister declared.

He added, "I call on the members of the Religious Zionist party as well as the idealistic MKs in the Likud to act similarly, and together with us to prevent the implementation of this reckless surrender deal."

Meanwhile, Netanyahu met once again with the leader of the Religious Zionist Party, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, on Thursday night. The meeting ended before 2:00 a.m., and no final decisions were made.

The two discussed Minister Smotrich's demands after the hostage deal goes into effect. In addition to the renewal of the war after the completion of the deal, Smotrich also demands significant changes in the management of the war, including halting humanitarian aid.