Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday that the government had "approved the framework" of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.

An Israeli government spokeswoman on Thursday said high profile Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti would not be exchanged as part of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal reached by Israel and Hamas.

When asked by a journalist whether Israel had agreed to release Barghouti, government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told a briefing that: "I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release."

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that an agreement to secure the release of hostages in Gaza will take effect only after receiving cabinet approval.

"Contrary to Arab media reports, the 72-hour countdown will begin only after the agreement is approved in the cabinet meeting, which is expected in the evening hours," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

France on Thursday hosts foreign ministers from Arab and European countries for talks on helping the Palestinians once the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas ends, a meeting that comes hours after the two sides agreed a ceasefire deal.

Israel and Hamas earlier agreed a Gaza ceasefire deal to free the remaining living Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group. It is a major step towards ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.

Israel's cabinet will meet on Thursday at 1500 GMT to discuss a plan to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza, a government statement said after U.S. President Donald Trump's announced a ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

"Government meeting at 18:00 (1500 GMT). Agenda – Plan for the release of all Israeli hostages," an announcement posted on the government website said.

World leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, which could help end the two-year war in Gaza.

- Palestinian Territories -

Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed a Gaza ceasefire deal to free the remaining living hostages, in a major step towards ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.

Six South African activists who were detained by Israel while attempting to reach Gaza as part of an aid flotilla said Wednesday they were subjected to harsher treatment than other detainees because of South Africa's role in a genocide case against Israel.

U.S. President Donald Trump's top adviser for the Middle East and other senior officials joined the third day of peace talks between Israel and Hamas in an Egyptian resort on Wednesday, a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of an American plan to end the war in Gaza.

Turkey's foreign ministry on Wednesday lashed out at an "act of piracy" after Israeli forces intercepted several more boats heading for Gaza, saying several Turkish lawmakers were on board.

"The intervention in international waters against the Freedom Flotilla... is an act of piracy," it said in a statement, describing it as "an attack on civil activists, including Turkish citizens and members of parliament".