JERUSALEM — Israel’s security Cabinet recommended approval on Friday of a cease fire deal, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed an agreement had been reached that would pause the 15-month war with Hamas in Gaza and release dozens of hostages held by militants there.

Mediators Qatar and the U.S. announced the cease fire on Wednesday, but the deal hung in limbo for more than a day as Netanyahu insisted there were last-minute snags he blamed on Hamas.

The militants maintained they were “committed” to the deal, while residents of Gaza and families of the hostages anxiously waited to see if it would materialize.

The deal now goes to the full Cabinet of ministers for final sign-off. It is expected to OK the cease fire, which could start as soon as Sunday, even though it has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. Their objections could destabilize his government, however.

Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive.

Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.

Beyond the death and destruction in Gaza, the conflict has also destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.

On Thursday, Israeli strikes killing at least 72 people in Gaza. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength.

Netanyahu instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza, and said that their families were informed a deal had been reached.

Under the deal, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to what’s left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance.

The remainder of the hostages are to be released in a second — and more difficult — phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting cease fire and a full Israeli withdrawal.