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Tinubu’s presidential pardon undermines justice, emboldens criminality – Atiku

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has openly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s latest use of the presidential pardon, describing it as a reckless action that undermines the principles of justice and accountability.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku Abubakar noted that the presidential prerogative of mercy is intended to balance justice with compassion.

However, he criticised the most recent round of pardons, saying it has reduced the process to a mere triviality.

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, including notable figures such as the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the other members of the Ogoni Eight.

According to a statement from the Presidency, the decision was based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The presidential pardon also extended clemency to individuals convicted of various serious crimes, including homicide, illegal mining, and fraud.

Reacting to this, Atiku condemned the inclusion of such offenders, arguing that it undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system and, in his words, “emboldens criminality.”

He maintained that the exercise of clemency should never serve as an accomplice to crime or erode the foundations of justice.

“Ordinarily, the power of presidential pardon is a solemn prerogative, a moral and constitutional instrument designed to temper justice with mercy and to underscore the humanity of the state. When properly exercised, it elevates justice and strengthens public faith in governance.

“Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite. The decision to extend clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption not only diminishes the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.

“At a time when Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug-related offences, it is both shocking and indefensible that the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability and social order,” the statement said.

Atiku specifically pointed to the number of individuals convicted of drug-related offences among the pardoned, describing the move as especially concerning in light of Nigeria’s ongoing battle against drug abuse and the vulnerability of its youth population.

“Particularly worrisome is the revelation that 29.2% percent of those pardoned were convicted for drug-related crimes at a time when our youth are being destroyed by narcotics, and our nation is still struggling to cleanse its image from the global stain of drug offences.

“Even more disturbing is the moral irony that this act of clemency is coming from a President whose own past remains clouded by unresolved and unexplained issues relating to the forfeiture of thousands of dollars to the United States government over drug-related investigations.

“It is, therefore, no surprise that this administration continues to demonstrate a worrying tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise.”

The former Vice President further stated that “A presidential pardon is meant to symbolize restitution and moral reform. Instead, what we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralization of law enforcement, and a grave injury to the conscience of the nation.”

He added, “Clemency must never be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be fighting, it erodes the moral authority of leadership and emboldens lawlessness.
“Nigeria deserves a leadership that upholds justice, not one that trivializes it.” (Channels)

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Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton dead at 79 –  Report

Actress Diane Keaton, known for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977’s “Annie Hall” and her role in “The Godfather” films, has died at age 79, People magazine reported Saturday.

Details were not immediately available, and Keaton’s loved ones have asked for privacy, a family spokesperson told People, which confirmed that the actress died in California.

Keaton, a style icon, was a frequent collaborator of director Woody Allen , portraying the titular character in “Annie Hall,” the charming girlfriend of Allen’s comic Alvy Singer.

The film also garnered Oscars for best picture, best director and best original screenplay, cementing Keaton’s place as one of the industry’s top actresses and an offbeat style icon as well.

The actress made her mark co-starring in eight Allen movies, from “Play in Again Sam” (1972) to “Manhattan” (1979) and “Manhattan Murder Mystery” (1993).

As the Hollywood sexual harassment scandals detonated in late 2017, cascading from producer Harvey Weinstein to heavyweight actors like Kevin Spacey, old accusations of child sex abuse against Allen by his adoptive daughter Dylan, resurfaced.

“Woody Allen is my friend and I continue to believe him,” Keaton tweeted in January 2018.

A BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, Keaton scored Oscar nominations three other times for best actress, for “Reds,” “Marvin’s Room” and “Something’s Gotta Give.”

In “The Godfather” films, she played Kay Adams, the girlfriend and eventual wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone.

Late in her career, Keaton starred in two movies about ageing women: “Book Club” (2018), with its message that love has no age, and “Poms” (2019).

“Poms” is the story of Martha, a terminally ill woman who moves to a retirement community to die, but winds up forming a cheerleading squad made up of female senior citizens.

As for ageing, Keaton said in a 2019 interview with AFP that life actually got easier.

“I think so, because what have you got to lose? It’s like it’s the truth. That’s what it is. You face it, we talk about it,” she said.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, Keaton was romantically involved with Allen, Pacino and Warren Beatty, but never married.

“Most people in the movies get married at some point, and then they divorce. But I’ve never even got married. I am (a) failure,” she joked in the 2019 interview.

Did she regret it? “I don’t think about it a lot, but I’m aware of the fact that I’m unusual in that regard, and maybe I did miss out on something — but then, nobody can have everything, right?”

She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke. (Punch)

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Ronaldo is Bloomberg’s first billionaire footballer

Cristiano Ronaldo has become football’s first billionaire player, according to financial information and media firm Bloomberg.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index,, external which tracks the world’s richest people based on their net worth, has measured the 40-year-old Portugal and Al-Nassr striker’s wealth for the first time.

The valuation takes into account career earnings, investments and endorsements and says Ronaldo’s net worth is $1.4bn (£1.04bn).

It says he earned more than $550m (£410m) in salary between 2002 and 2023, and breaks down his reported earnings through deals and sponsorship, including a decade-long deal with Nike worth almost $18m (£13.4m) a year.

When Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League in 2022 he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m.

His contract was due to end in June 2025 but he signed a new two-year deal – reportedly worth more than $400m (£298m) – which will keep him at the club beyond his 42nd birthday.

Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, who played against Ronaldo for many years during their time in Spain, has earned more than $600m (£447m) in pre-tax salary during his career, according to Bloomberg.

That includes $20m (£15m) in guaranteed annual pay since 2023, which is about 10% of Ronaldo’s income during the same period.

When he retires, 38-year-old Messi is set to get a stake in Inter Miami. (BBC)

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Ricky Hatton funeral: Thousands line the streets as former world boxing champion laid to rest in Manchester

Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell paid an emotional tribute to his late father at his funeral in Manchester, saying “I can’t explain how much I’m going to miss you, dad.”

Thousands of mourners lined the streets during the procession, which started at Hatton’s local pub – the Cheshire Cheese in Hyde – at 9.45am on Friday ahead of a private memorial service from midday.

Former world champion Hatton was found dead at his home on September 14. Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Campbell Hatton, who won 14 of his 16 fights before retiring from boxing last year, said of Ricky at the service: “We won’t be making any new memories – but the ones we did I will cherish for ever.”

The cortege included stops at Hatton’s boxing gym as well as the AO Arena, the venue where he secured his first world title with victory over Kosta Tszyu in June 2005.

It was led by the famous Reliant van from Only Fools And Horses. Hatton was a big fan of the sitcom and once bought one of the original three-wheelers, which he used to drive round his home city.

Those in attendance included Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, Hatton’s fellow boxers Tyson Fury, Frank Bruno and Tony Bellew, ex-England, Manchester United and Everton footballer Wayne Rooney and former England cricket captain Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.

Speaking on his social media channels earlier in the day, Fury said of Hatton: “Today is the day of Ricky Hatton’s funeral.

“I’m not going to be alone when I say this, but Ricky inspired me as a young boy to go on and do great things in boxing. I wanted to be just like him. The ring walks, the flashy shorts, the fans, the chanting.

“When I was a little kid he was fighting for his world title against Kostya Tszyu in Manchester, I was there along with a lot of young kids who were inspired by Ricky.

“Without Ricky Hatton, Manchester, the North West, the UK wouldn’t have had so many boxing world champions inspired by the great ‘Hitman’. Rest in peace, Rick. See you soon buddy.”

Hatton’s mother, Carol, said in a statement read on her behalf at the service: “‘The Hitman’ was adored by his army of fans – the People’s Champion, and he would say that’s how he would want to be remembered.

“Long before this accolade he was our little champion from the day he was born.”

Hatton won 45 of his 48 fights and earned legions of fans, not only due to his boxing ability but also his down-to-earth demeanour, with tens of thousands of supporters travelling to see him take on Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

Mayweather and Pacquiao inflicted two of Hatton’s three defeats, with the third of those coming in his final bout, against Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester in May 2012.

Hatton – an ambassador for mental health charities and the Manchester-based Barnbaus, which supports homeless and vulnerable people – became a trainer after retiring before participating in an exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022.

He was scheduled to return to the ring in a professional bout in December of this year.

Sky Sports pundit and former British and European middleweight champion Matthew Macklin said: “Everyone talks about Ricky being a man of the people, which he was, but it is easy to forget that he was an unbelievable boxer.

“He had unbelievable talent, an unbelievable work ethic.

“As a young fighter coming through looking up to him, he was a fantastic role model in how he trained, how he conducted himself with the media and other people.

“He was such a great, funny guy. His after-dinner speaking, he was on the level of stand-up comedy.

“He was funny off the cuff with quick one-liners, always coming back at you.” (SkySports)

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Erling Haaland: Striker surpasses 20 goals for season as Norway beat Israel in World Cup qualifier after protests

Erling Haaland reached 21 goals for the season for club and country as his hat-trick helped Norway to a 5-0 win over Israel in their World Cup qualifier after pro-Palestine protests in Oslo.

Haaland’s latest hat-trick means he has surpassed the 20-goal mark for the season in just 12 games. His second goal of the match – a header from Antonio Nusa’s cross – made it 50 goals for Norway in just 46 matches.

Haaland could have had more had he converted a first-half penalty, but he saw see two attempts from 12 yards saved after referee Szymon Marciniak ordered the first kick to be retaken because Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz had moved off his line too soon, before saving his second attempt.

Norway’s other two goals came from Israel own goals – conceded by Anan Khalaili and Idan Nachmias.

Before the game, pro-Palestinian protesters lit flares and waved flags as they marched to the stadium.

Public broadcaster NRK said around 1,000 protesters marched from Oslo’s city centre to Ullevaal Stadion, where they were reportedly planning to stay until the start of the game at 6pm local time.

A banner about the war in Gaza was carried by the protesters in what appeared to be a peaceful march. A few dozen fans stayed to continue protesting outside the stadium once the match had started. Only 3,000 spectators were being allowed into the game amid tight security checks.

A Palestine flag was unfurled inside the stadium early in the game along with a banner which read “Let Children Live.” Some fans jeered the Israel national anthem and others held up red cards in the crowd.

On Friday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino appealed for calm ahead of Israel’s qualifying matches after Israel and Hamas agreed to a peace deal.

After Haaland’s winner for Man City vs Brentford in the Premier League, Jamie Carragher described the striker as English football’s “greatest goalscorer” after the game. The player himself said he is in the form of his life. “I’ve never felt better than I do now,” he told Sky Sports.

So, is Haaland getting even better? His numbers make a compelling case.

He has already made history in the Champions League. With his goal his in 49th appearance in the competition against Napoli, Haaland became the quickest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, smashing the record held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who needed 62 games, with Lionel Messi next on 66.

For further context, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League’s leading scorer with 140 goals, took 91 games to reach a half-century.

Haaland has of course been similarly prolific in the Premier League. His goal against Brentford took him to 94 in 104 appearances, giving him an unprecedented strike rate which puts him close to becoming the quickest player in the competition’s history to join the 100-club ahead of Alan Shearer, who needed 125 games.

Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah are the next-fastest players behind Shearer to reach the milestone, all of them trailing in Haaland’s wake.

Haaland’s astonishing scoring rate makes him an outlier and, with nine years still to run on the extraordinary contract he signed in January, and having only turned 25 in July, he is on course to break just about every Premier League scoring record.

If he continues scoring at the same rate, and factoring his average playing time, Haaland is projected to beat Shearer’s record of 260 Premier League goals in September 2030.

Should he stay at the Etihad Stadium for the duration of his contract, until 2034, the same projection suggests he will reach a staggering total of 389 Premier League goals. (SkySports)

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EFCC probes two suspects over undeclared foreign currency at Lagos Airport

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, are investigating two travellers, Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi, over alleged failure to declare foreign currencies in their possession at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The suspects were apprehended on Saturday, October 11, 2025, by operatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during a routine check. According to preliminary findings, the duo were found with undeclared sums of $6,180 and £53,415.

The EFCC disclosed that the suspects had just arrived from Dubai via Addis Ababa and were scheduled to board a connecting flight to Abuja when they were intercepted.

Also recovered from the suspects were three mobile phones, which have been taken into custody as exhibits.

The suspects and the recovered items were received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Ahmed Ghali. (Nation)

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Plane flying Super Eagles back to Nigeria makes emergency landing in Angola

The aircraft conveying Nigeria’s Super Eagles from South Africa to Uyo for their final World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic made an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday after developing a technical fault mid-air.

The ValueJet aircraft, which initially stopped in Luanda to refuel, reportedly turned back about 25 minutes after takeoff when a loud crack appeared on the aircraft’s windshield, prompting the pilot to initiate emergency procedures.

The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.

All players, officials, and government delegates on board were safely evacuated upon landing.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the incident, adding that a cracked windscreen was responsible for the emergency landing

”However, after a routine refuelling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana last month).”

”The aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off, and the pilot did well to guide the aeroplane safely back to the airport in Luanda,” the NFF said

The football federation also said plans were being made for another aircraft to fly from Lagos and pick up the delegation in Luanda.

“ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities, including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to Mr President, are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda and fly them to Uyo.” (Channels)

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Tinubu grants Herbert Macaulay, Vatsa, 173 others presidential pardon

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardon to 175 persons, including Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay and former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (rtd), following the approval of the National Council of State at its meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

The decision, taken at the instance of the President’s recommendation based on the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, was presented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

The Council also ratified key national appointments and approved the conferment of national honours on 959 Nigerians and friends of Nigeria.

A source at the meeting confirmed that the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and the executed poet-soldier, Mamman Vatsa, were among the major beneficiaries of the clemency.

Members of the Ogoni Nine were also said to be listed among those pardoned.

Macaulay, often hailed as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was twice convicted by colonial authorities — first in 1913 for alleged misappropriation of estate funds, and in 1928 in connection with the “Gunpowder Plot” following his Lagos Daily News publication during the Eleko agitation. Both convictions have long been subjects of historical controversy.

Vatsa, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and was a member of the Supreme Military Council under General Ibrahim Babangida, was executed on March 5, 1986, after a secret tribunal convicted him of treason in connection with an alleged coup attempt.

His trial and execution have remained deeply controversial, with repeated public calls for a posthumous pardon.

Briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the Council of State and Police Council meetings, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said the approvals underscored President Tinubu’s commitment to justice reform and humane governance.

“Eighty-two of the inmates were granted full presidential pardon, sixty-five had their sentences reduced, while seven death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment,” he disclosed.

According to him, the gesture is aimed at decongesting correctional facilities and promoting restorative justice, in line with Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to grant pardons, reprieves, or commute sentences.

He said the exercise followed careful recommendations of the Advisory Committee, which considers factors such as age, health, good behaviour, or miscarriage of justice.

Governor Sani also revealed that the Council ratified several key appointments presented by President Tinubu, including Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Dr. Aminu Yusuf as Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC).

The Council also approved Alhaji Tonge Betara Bularafa as Federal Commissioner representing Yobe State at the NPC.

Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), described Amupitan’s appointment as “a constitutional responsibility diligently discharged by the President,” adding that the nominee was “a serious-minded scholar, a man of integrity, tested and trusted, who has never participated in partisan politics.”

In another major decision, the Council approved President Tinubu’s request to confer national honours on 959 eminent individuals for the 2024–2025 cycle.

Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong, who briefed journalists on the development, said the awards included 824 successful applications and 135 special recognitions.

She explained that the reconstituted National Honours Award Committee, chaired by the Emirates of Lafia, Justice Mohammed Sidi Bage, had screened over 5,000 applications before submitting its final recommendations.

Among those honoured or set to be honoured are Bill Gates for contributions to public health and humanitarian causes, Uncle Sam Amuka-Pemu, veteran journalist and publisher, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, immediate past INEC Chairman, for service to Nigeria’s democratic process.

Posthumous honours also went to the Ogoni Nine and the Ogoni Four for their environmental activism and sacrifice, while the Super Falcons and D’Tigresses received national recognition for their excellence in sports.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, also disclosed that he presented proposals to the Police Council for strengthening the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF).

He sought approval to repeal and reenact the NPTF Establishment Act 2025 to remove its six-year lifespan limitation and make it a permanent agency.

He further proposed an increase in the statutory deduction from the Federation Account from 0.5 percent to 2 percent, aimed at expanding funding for police training, welfare, logistics, technology, and emergency response systems.

The Minister said Council approved an increment to 1 percent of the deduction from the Federation Account.

According to him, all the proposals, including the repeal and reenactment of the NPTF Act, received the Council’s full approval.

“The purpose of establishing the Nigerian Police Trust Fund was to support training and retraining of police personnel. The second one is to provide financial resources to enhance police equipment, logistics, and infrastructure.

“It was established also to support modernization of the police through investments in technology, vehicles, communications, and crime fighting tools, improve welfare and morale of police personnel, promote accountability, transparency, and governance, also to enhance crime prevention and public safety, strengthen capacity for emergency response and disaster management, fund ongoing training, specialized courses, and skill development, foster public-sector and private sector engagement, channel contributions through individuals, corporations, and civil society into police enhancement programs.

“The concerns we had in the Police Trust Fund, the sunset close of six years in the current act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund, and impedes long-term planning thereby constraining sustainable police reform.

“The deduction of 0.5 percent from the federation account needs to be reviewed upward to two percent of the federation account.

“So we also prayed that the council should approve the repeal and the reenactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2025 in order to remove the sunset close and transition it into an agency.

“Second, the council to approve 2 percent deduction from the Federation Account. And the last one, direct the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to input all the approvals of the council in the proposed executive bill. All these prayers have been approved without any omission”, he said.

Both meetings, which were chaired by President Tinubu, had high-level attendance.

The Council of State meeting was attended virtually by former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

Also in attendance were the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; state governors, and other statutory members of the Council.

Also in attendance were four former Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN), including Alfa Belgore, Mahmud Mohammed, Walter Onnogen, and Oluwakayode Ariwoola. (Nation)

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Revered statesman Christopher Kolade dies at 93

Renowned Nigerian statesman Dr Christopher Kolade has died aged 93, his family announced in a statement.



“We are thankful for his incredible life of faith and service; and are grateful for God’s abundant blessings,” the statement read in part.

The statement said the late broadcaster died peacefully on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

Born on December 28, 1932 in Erin-Oke, Osun State, Dr Kolade had a distinguished career as a diplomat, academic, advocate for integrity and corporate governance, among other things.

He was the son of an Anglican missionary and completed his secondary-school education at Government College, Ibadan after which he studied at Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

He holds honorary doctorate degrees of McPherson University (2016), University of Sierra Leone (1976) among others.

Kolade embarked on a diverse career path, becoming a veteran broadcaster and rising to the position of the Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

He later served as the Chief Executive and Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc and held the esteemed position of Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

After his posting in London, Dr. Kolade continued to share his expertise by teaching Corporate Governance and Human Resource Management at the Lagos Business School (LBS), as well as Leadership and Conflict Management at the School of Media and Communication (SMC) — both institutions under the Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.

He also played key roles in the university’s governance, serving as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council.

Dr. Kolade’s distinguished service extends across both national and international organisations. He has led prominent institutions including the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, the International Institute for Communications, and the World Association for Christian Communication.

Notably, he was awarded the prestigious Order of St. Augustine medal by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was appointed Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Board by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.

As an advocate of business integrity, Dr Kolade also chaired organizations such as Integrity Organization Ltd GTE and The Convention on Business Integrity Ltd GTE. (Channels)

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Israeli Cabinet approves ‘outline’ of deal to release all remaining hostages held by Hamas

 Israel’s Cabinet early Friday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas, a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilized the Middle East.

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Cabinet approved the “outline” of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.

The broader ceasefire plan included many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.

The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault, and 251 were taken hostage. In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.

In the hours leading up to the Israeli Cabinet’s vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were seen Thursday in northern Gaza, and a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

At least 11 dead Palestinians and another 49 who were wounded arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said Israel was hitting targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition. Hamas blasted Israel over the strike, saying Netanyahu was trying to “shuffle the cards and confuse” efforts by mediators to end the war in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

“We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,” Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.

In other developments, U.S. officials announced that they would send about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reactions to the announcement of a ceasefire were relatively muted and often colored by grief.

“I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. … The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”

In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced the deal.

In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.

“We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning,” she said. “It’s been two years that we are in horror.”

Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.

In a short video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.

“They are all coming back on Monday,” said Trump, who is expected to visit the region in the coming days.

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.

The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.

Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.

The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations. The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.

Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.

The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects. (PBS)