Citizens of Israel, the United States, Britain, Mexico, Thailand and other countries were among about 250 people abducted in the Oct. 7, 2023 raids into Israel.

What will come next remains unclear in the absence of a comprehensive agreement on the postwar future of Gaza, and although the stated aim of the ceasefire is to end the war entirely, it could easily unravel.

Hospitals and health officials have been preparing isolated areas where the hostages can begin recuperating, and there are concerns that the returning captives may be malnourished.

Taken alongside his now four-year-old brother Ariel and his parents, two-year-old Kfir Bibas has become a symbol of the suffering of Israeli hostages.

Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions.”

Israel's government has approved the new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, paving the way for it to take effect on Sunday. The decision came after hours of discussions that continued late into the night. Two far-right ministers voted against the deal.

The Israeli cabinet approved the deal Friday, and the full cabinet is expected to convene later in the day to vote on it.

Israel delayed approval of a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages, but the United States said it still expected the agreement to go into effect on Sunday as planned.