w since the deal was first strip since the deal was first announced on wednesday. i’m announced on wednesday. i'm live in tel _ announced on wednesday. i'm live in tel aviv _ announced on wednesday. in live in tel aviv where the families of those held in gaza have met once again to put pressure on the government to approve the deal. the lawyers who represented the late russian opposition leader alexei navalny have been jailed, accused of belonging to an extremist group. donald trump's team share his new official portrait ahead of the inauguration on monday, and it mightjust look familiar. a new discovery in old pompeii — archaeologists in italy unearth a huge bathhouse in the roman city, destroyed by a volcanic eruption nearly 2000 years ago. hello, i'm annita mcveigh,

welcome to bbc news now. israel's security cabinet is meeting now to vote on the gaza ceasefire deal. a short time ago, prime minister benjamin netanyahu's officials posted this picture on x of that meeting taking place. it's happening after last—minute disputes between israel and hamas on the terms of the agreement were resolved. after the security cabinet votes, the wider israeli cabinet also needs to approve it and mr netanyahu says, if everything is finalised, the first hostages are expected to released as early as sunday. the names of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire have now been published. and in gaza, the civil defence agency says more than 100 people have now been killed in israeli strikes since the ceasefire deal was announced on wednesday.

we cross now to my colleague who is in tel aviv. hello to you. we have not heard anything to the contrary, i don't think, that that discussion with the israeli security cabinet is going on still. when to expect that to end? and tell us more about this last minute issues that were ain't out to allow us to get to this point.— to get to this point. we've “ust to get to this point. we've just had — to get to this point. we've just had reports _ to get to this point. we've just had reports in - to get to this point. we've just had reports in the - to get to this point. we've| just had reports in the last couple of minutes that the full cabinet meeting has been scheduled for 3:30pm at local time, that is an hour and a half away from here. we are two hours ahead of gmt. that would be a confirmation that they intend to push ahead with the ratification after the security cabinet approves it, as we are expecting, by the full cabinet meeting taking place this afternoon. and reports now that, if that is approved in

the full cabinet meeting, as we expect, the first release of the hostages would come on sunday afternoon. that is not officially confirmed but that is what the media are now reporting. so suggestions that this will not be held up at cabinet level, it is expected to go through. that despite the objections of two ministers in benjamin netanyahu's government's, two far—right ministers, the finance minister and the national security minister, who have threatened to resign if it is ratified. however, they have said they will not topple the government, there was still support prime minister benjamin netanyahu from the sidelines and they would urge him to be able to go back into gaza to resume the fighting after the first stage of the ceasefire has finished. this is where we are at the moment, we are in tel aviv, very much a focal point of the national trauma here in israel since the 7th of october. you can see the clock counting down

the days, hours, minutes and seconds under which the israeli hostages have been held. 250 hostages have been held. 250 hostages taken on the 7th of october, 98 still in captivity, 30 of whom would be returned under the first phase of this ceasefire deal. we will bring you the details as we understand them, the full details not yet released but we understand this is a deal that would be split into three stages. the first stage is expected to come on sunday with a clear indicator that the deal is in force. the release of through the hostages taken by hamas into israel on october 2023. it's thought that 30 more hostages will be released in the weeks which follow. and in return, israel will withdraw its forces from all populated areas of gaza, allowing palestinians who have been displaced by the fighting to return. there will also be an increase in deliveries of humanitarian aid. that first stage is set to last for six weeks.

the second stage would see israel release around a thousand palestinian prisoners. around the same time, hamas would release all remaining surviving hostages. israel would complete its military withdrawal from gaza, although there's no clear time frame for this. if all of that passes off successfully, the third and final stage would involve the reconstruction of gaza — something which could take years — and the return of any remaining hostages' bodies. this deal has been a long time in the making, it was on the table back in may and it appears to stick in the trump administration coming in to put pressure on both sides to reach this deal. joining me now from jersusalem is lazar berman, diplomatic correspondent at the times of israel. thank you for being with us

here on bbc news. what do you make of the fact that donald trump has apparently put so much pressure on benjamin netanyahu to reach this deal and also on hamas, given that it was thought that trump and bibi netanyahu were best pals, is it surprising it was trump that put pressure on him to get this over the line? this that put pressure on him to get this over the line?— this over the line? this is important. _ this over the line? this is important, netanyahu . this over the line? this is important, netanyahu is| this over the line? this is - important, netanyahu is taking serious — important, netanyahu is taking serious risks of his coalition becoming much more precarious and maybe not surviving in the long _ and maybe not surviving in the long term _ and maybe not surviving in the long term in order to put his bet on — long term in order to put his bet on trump. you have to ask, what _ bet on trump. you have to ask, what are — bet on trump. you have to ask, what are trump and netanyahu workouts, _ what are trump and netanyahu workouts, what agreement do they— workouts, what agreement do they have? i think it has to be on things— they have? i think it has to be on things like the ability to id on things like the ability to go back— on things like the ability to go back to war if hamas is not living — go back to war if hamas is not living up— go back to war if hamas is not living up to the terms of the deal — living up to the terms of the deal and _ living up to the terms of the deal. and probably something about— deal. and probably something about iran working together to more — about iran working together to more aggressively confront iran's— more aggressively confront iran's nuclear programme and that_ iran's nuclear programme and that normalisation deal with saudi — that normalisation deal with

saudi arabia. in addition to pressure. _ saudi arabia. in addition to pressure, netanyahu understands he is _ pressure, netanyahu understands he is putting his bet right now on working together with the trump — on working together with the trump administration to advance goes _ trump administration to advance goes beyond the gaza strip which — goes beyond the gaza strip which is _ goes beyond the gaza strip which is why he is putting its own— which is why he is putting its own political future at risk to bring — own political future at risk to bring this— own political future at risk to bring this deal to fruition. and — bring this deal to fruition. and yet— bring this deal to fruition. and yet he is signing a deal that would enshrine the withdrawal of israeli forces from gaza and he would sign a commitment not to re—enter gaza, something that is fiercely opposed by two of his ministers. give then your knowledge of netanyahu, do you feel he is going to cave in to pressure from the far right in the end, to perhaps go back into gaza after the first stage of the ceasefire is complete, or do you think is a man he was going to stick to international agreements? in going to stick to international agreements?— going to stick to international agreements? in this deal, only if ou agreements? in this deal, only if you get _ agreements? in this deal, only if you get to — agreements? in this deal, only if you get to the _ agreements? in this deal, only if you get to the second - agreements? in this deal, only if you get to the second phase | if you get to the second phase afier— if you get to the second phase after the — if you get to the second phase after the first phase were 33 hostages are released, is a

permanent end to the war and idf withdrawal. netanyahu said throughout his war that, we are not going — throughout his war that, we are not going to move to the second phase _ not going to move to the second phase and — not going to move to the second phase and permanently end the war were — phase and permanently end the war were not achieved our goals, _ war were not achieved our goals, which of the full destructions of the hamas military— destructions of the hamas military infrastructure and their— military infrastructure and their ability to run the gaza strip — their ability to run the gaza strip. this means, netanyahu was _ strip. this means, netanyahu was going to stick to this, we would — was going to stick to this, we would not _ was going to stick to this, we would not end the war without destroying hamas. hamas can agree — destroying hamas. hamas can agree to — destroying hamas. hamas can agree to that through negotiation or we can go back to war~ — negotiation or we can go back to war~ ls _ negotiation or we can go back to war. is been consistent on throughout. i know that senior members _ throughout. i know that senior members of the incoming trump administration it seem to back this approach approach as well publiclv — this approach approach as well ublicl . ., ., publicly. you mention there the normalisation _ publicly. you mention there the normalisation of _ publicly. you mention there the normalisation of ties _ publicly. you mention there the normalisation of ties with - normalisation of ties with saudi arabia which would beat the big win for donald trump in expanding what is known as abraham accords. just explain

the opportunity this presents for reshaping the middle east geopolitically if ceasefire holds? . . , geopolitically if ceasefire holds? ., ., ,, holds? iran and its access includes _ holds? iran and its access includes the _ holds? iran and its access includes the assad - holds? iran and its access| includes the assad regime holds? iran and its access i includes the assad regime in syria. — includes the assad regime in syria. 6 _ includes the assad regime in syria, a dominant force in the middle — syria, a dominant force in the middle east for many years ago is that— middle east for many years ago is that a — middle east for many years ago is that a saudi arabia's arch enemy— is that a saudi arabia's arch enemy even though in recent years— enemy even though in recent years they pent—up diplomatic channels— years they pent—up diplomatic channels with iran was to its allies— channels with iran was to its allies have been so weakened by its rope — allies have been so weakened by its rope assessment been so weekend _ its rope assessment been so weekend by israel's sponsor 0ctober— weekend by israel's sponsor october the 7th, he seems the whole — october the 7th, he seems the whole map has changed and there appears _ whole map has changed and there appears to be more than ability to move — appears to be more than ability to move back to what was on track— to move back to what was on track before october the 7th, normalisation between israel and saudi arabia. saudi arabia is also — and saudi arabia. saudi arabia is also making a deal with the united — is also making a deal with the united states here. who defends guarantees they want, neglect of a civilian nuclear programme and they— of a civilian nuclear programme and they see a lot of economic benefit — and they see a lot of economic benefit to— and they see a lot of economic benefit to come from this as welt~ — benefit to come from this as welt~ so— benefit to come from this as well. so if indeed this moves forwards— well. so if indeed this moves forwards and trump was the one that was— forwards and trump was the one that was able to administer the first round of the abraham accords, _ first round of the abraham accords, this would certainly

create — accords, this would certainly create a _ accords, this would certainly create a pro—western, pro—american, anti—iranian alliance _ pro—american, anti—iranian alliance that would be able to work — alliance that would be able to work much closer together. it will probably be a military alliance but also an economic alliance — alliance but also an economic alliance and will truly strengthen your's hand in the middle — strengthen your's hand in the middle east and the american hands — middle east and the american hands in — middle east and the american hands in the middle east and would — hands in the middle east and would do good things for israel and saudi arabia if we get there _ and saudi arabia if we get there. iran and its allies will do everything they can to try to get— do everything they can to try to get in— do everything they can to try to get in the way of such a deat~ _ to get in the way of such a deat~ h_ to get in the way of such a deal. �* deal. a huge if if we get there. would _ deal. a huge if if we get there. would you - deal. a huge if if we get there. would you thinkl deal. a huge if if we get i there. would you think the israeli government will countenance in terms of who would run gaza, who would control gaza after the guns full sign that up to gets under way? 50 full sign that up to gets under wa ? ., �* , , full sign that up to gets under wa? ., �*,, ., full sign that up to gets under way? so far, it's been a series of who they — way? so far, it's been a series of who they would _ way? so far, it's been a series of who they would not - way? so far, it's been a series of who they would not be - of who they would not be willing _ of who they would not be willing to support. so obviously not hamas, they said no to— obviously not hamas, they said no to the — obviously not hamas, they said no to the palestinian authority, who you think would be the — authority, who you think would be the most likely candidate. it's a — be the most likely candidate. it's a corrupt organisation, they— it's a corrupt organisation, they are _ it's a corrupt organisation, they are not very popular among palestinians anyway but there are internationally recognised

and it— are internationally recognised and it worked very closely with israel— and it worked very closely with israel on — and it worked very closely with israel on west bank security. but netanyahu said he was not willing — but netanyahu said he was not willing to back out of the question is, who will? our arab and israeli _ question is, who will? our arab and israeli allies going to put their— and israeli allies going to put their soldiers into the gaza strip— their soldiers into the gaza strip and put it to get it for fights— strip and put it to get it for fights with hamas? that is not going — fights with hamas? that is not going to — fights with hamas? that is not going to happen, and it's not like — going to happen, and it's not like europeans are going to either _ like europeans are going to either. that talk about private security— either. that talk about private security companies administering humanitarian aid to parts— administering humanitarian aid to parts of the northern gaza strip, — to parts of the northern gaza strip, let's see if that happens or that isjust strip, let's see if that happens or that is just talk by the netanyahu administration. but feeling is at least in israel— but feeling is at least in israel that gaza needs to be further— israel that gaza needs to be further degraded if someone else — further degraded if someone else is— further degraded if someone else is going to move in and only— else is going to move in and only way— else is going to move in and only way to do that is by military— only way to do that is by military action if hamas does not give _ military action if hamas does not give up and agreed to go into— not give up and agreed to go into exile. that is really where _ into exile. that is really where the big questions are. if we do — where the big questions are. if we do get _ where the big questions are. if we do get through this war and the deal. — we do get through this war and the deal, there is going to raise — the deal, there is going to raise the _ the deal, there is going to raise the gaza strip and make sure _ raise the gaza strip and make sure there are no longer rocket attacks — sure there are no longer rocket attacks and kidnappings sure there are no longer rocket attacks and k