The expanded Israeli government session began on Thursday evening to approve a deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip and exchange prisoners, with the participation of Steve Whitkoff, envoy of US President Donald Trump, and his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner.

Netanyahu met in his office in Jerusalem with Whitkoff and Kushner to discuss the details of the anticipated deal to end the war in Gaza and exchange prisoners with Palestinian factions.

Simultaneously with Netanyahu’s meeting with Whitkoff and Kushner, the expanded government session convened to approve the Gaza ceasefire agreement, before all of them joined later.

Kushner said during his participation in the Israeli government session: “We have made a deal that isolates Hamas and pushes the Arab world towards peace, and the agreement protects Israel’s security.”

Kushner added: “If we have to use force, we will. Either things go well, or they end badly.”

The government’s approval represents a green light to begin the Israeli army’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip to an agreed line as a first phase, and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli prisoners in Gaza.

Trump announced that Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on the first phase of his plan for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange after four days of indirect negotiations between the two sides.

Tel Aviv estimates there are 48 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive, while more than 11,100 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect.