Watch live as Donald Trump hosts a cabinet meeting at the White House following his announcement that both Israel and Hamas have signed off on the “first phase” of his proposed Gaza peace plan.
Wild celebrations have erupted in both Gaza and Israel, hailing what could be an eventual end to a devastating Israeli military campaign in Gaza and the release of hostages who have been in captivity for two years.
At 5pm Israel time (3pm BST, 10am ET) there will be an Israeli cabinet meeting, and at 6pm (4pm BST, 11am ET)) there will be a government meeting, the spokesperson said. If the deal is approved, a ceasefire will begin in Gaza 24 hours later.
At this point, the Israeli military will be withdrawn to a smaller area of Gaza, and the 72-hour time window for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners will begin.
Hamas confirmed that the agreement includes troop withdrawal, prisoner exchanges, and the entry of aid. But the Israeli military warned civilians not to return to northern Gaza, calling it “a dangerous combat zone.”
The cabinet meeting comes as Democrat and Republicans senators remain at a standstill over passing a resolution for government funding.
Federal judges will also hear arguments today on challenges to Trump's mobilisation of National Guard troops in Chicago and Portland, Oregon as part of ICE crackdowns. The US president has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act if the deployments are blocked.
