The accord is still conditional on the approval of the full cabinet, which was meeting on Friday afternoon.
The war between Israeli forces and Hamas has razed much of the heavily urbanised strip, killed more than 46,000 people and displaced most of the enclave's pre-war population of 2.3 million several times over, according to local authorities.
If successful, a ceasefire could also ease hostilities in the Middle East, where the Gaza Strip war spread to include Iran and its proxies - Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and armed groups in Iraq as well as the occupied West Bank.
Following an evaluation of all diplomatic, security and humanitarian aspects, and while understanding that the proposed deal supports the achievement of the objectives of the war, the Security Cabinet has recommended that the Government approve the proposed framework.— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 17, 2025
In the Gaza Strip itself on Friday, Israeli warplanes kept up heavy strikes and medics and rescue authorities said that at least 104 Palestinians, including 58 women and children, had been killed since the deal was announced on Wednesday.
Under the six-week first phase of the three-stage deal, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women (soldiers and civilians), children and men over 50.
Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase.
The war between Israeli forces and Hamas has displaced most of the Gaza Strip's population. (AP PHOTO)
The total number of Palestinians released will depend on hostages released and could be between 990 and 1650 Palestinians, including men, women and children.
The Israeli Justice Ministry on Friday released a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in the first exchange on Sunday.
Hamas said in a statement that obstacles that arose on the terms of the ceasefire agreement have been resolved.
After a last-minute delay on Thursday that Israel blamed on Hamas, Netanyahu's office in the early hours of Friday said Israel's security cabinet would meet to approve the ceasefire accord.
Hamas on Thursday said it was committed to the agreement, which takes effect on Sunday.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached on a deal to release the hostages," his office said in a statement.
Palestinians waiting for food in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday said they hoped a truce will mean an end to hours of queuing to fill one plate.
"I hope it will happen so we'll be able to cook in our homes and make whatever food we want, without having to go to soup kitchens and exhaust ourselves for three or four hours trying to get (food) - sometimes not even making it home," displaced Palestinian Reeham Sheikh al-Eid said.
The deal faced strong opposition from hardliners in Netanyahu's coalition, who said it was a capitulation to Hamas, which had controlled the Gaza Strip.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to resign if it was approved but he said he would not bring down the government.
Following the security cabinet meeting, Ben-Gvir repeated his opposition to the ceasefire deal in a statement and called on members of the full cabinet to join him in voting against it.
His fellow hardliner Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also threatened to quit the government if it does not go back to war to defeat Hamas after the first six-week phase of the ceasefire was completed.
In Gaza, the air strikes continued.
In the aftermath of one strike on tents housing displaced people, a boy picked through damaged items on the floor that was littered with canned food and coffee pots.
That attack killed two people and wounded seven at an encampment close to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, according to medics.
Also in Khan Younis, mourners gathered around the body of a man killed in an Israeli strike as women hugged each other and cried.
"Life has become an unbearable hell," resident Jomaa Abed al-Aal said.
There was no comment from the Israeli military on the latest strikes.
Israel says 98 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip and about half are believed to be alive.
They include Israelis and non-Israelis.
Of the total, 94 were seized in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and four have been held since 2014.
For the first time, Israeli authorities have officially informed hostage families of the names of the first 33 to be released but it remains unclear how many of those on the list are still alive.
