Good morning. It's Friday. Thomas Morgan here with your AM NewsMail.

Over two years of bloodshed between Hamas and Israel could be about to come to an end. In the last few hours, Israel's cabinet has been voting on whether to approve the Gaza peace deal, with Donald Trump expressing optimism. Our team in the Middle East is covering this story from all angles.

Plus, the Micronesian islands feeling exposed amid a geo-strategic build-up between Beijing and Washington, and the latest Senate estimates revelations about Australia's corruption watchdog.

And after another very busy week in the news, take a moment to look back as you test your knowledge in our Friday quiz!

A breakthrough: Israel and Hamas have agreed to a peace plan. The first phase will see all remaining hostages released in coming days, Donald Trump says, and Israeli forces are set to begin withdrawing from a decimated Gaza. Follow the latest developments this morning on our live blog.

It has been two years and three days since Hamas's October 7 attacks. That attack claimed the lives of 1,200 people and saw roughly 250 more taken hostage by Hamas. Since then, Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed about 68,000 Palestinians and reduced much of the Palestinian territory to rubble.

Joy and scepticism: In both Israel and Gaza, our reporters witnessed scenes of jubilation and elation as Israel and Hamas signed the deal. But after two years of war, many also dread the possibility that this ceasefire deal could fall apart.

PLUS: Last night's 7.30 had extensive coverage of the Gaza peace deal▶️ and what it means for the Middle East. Sarah Ferguson spoke with Sharren Haskell, the deputy foreign minister of Israel, and Majed Al-Ansari, an advisor to the Qatari prime minister, about the peace deal. 

'Guam is the tip of the spear, but it's also the bullseye': America's presence on far-flung Pacific Islands such as Guam and Palau can be seen as a protective shield, but some in their local communities fear that could be a double-edged sword. Our reporter Hugo Hodge travelled to Palau's capital Koror, where China's military build-up is bringing the island nation plenty of foreign attention.

PLUS: China is tightening its control of the crucial rare earth mineral market . That is likely to only increase tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Returning home: When Vladimir Putin needed men to fight in Ukraine, he turned to Russia's prisons. But that may have been a dangerous deal to make. Three anonymous sources within the Kremlin say the Russian leader is worried about how the return of his convict army could destabilise the country's society post-war.

Artificial intelligence: The technology threatens to be the biggest disruptor to the internet in 20 years, and journalism could be the canary in the coal mine. AI tools trained on the best websites of the open web are now killing traffic to these sites.

• The head of Australia's corruption watchdog "consulted" for the ADF's inspector general on 11 occasions since becoming head of the NACC. That's despite previous assurances that he had stepped away from the body and resigned as Assistant Inspector-General of the ADF prior to taking on the top integrity job.
• Analysis with Michelle Grattan: Michelle Rowland is staring down a second potential legislative defeat, this time over her bill to overhaul Australia's Freedom of Information laws. But will the Liberals hold firm or waver?
• First Guardian and Shield collapses: The two managed investment schemes's collapses have led to a potential $1 billion loss for some 12,000 Australians. Now it has emerged a former financial adviser involved in placing thousands of clients into the fund says he was given clearance by superannuation trustee Diversa to do so — despite the trustee initially flagging compliance concerns. 
• Childcare in crisis: About 40 Victorians held permission to work with children despite being banned from working for the childcare industry. The state's Working with Children Check system has faced scrutiny following multiple cases of alleged misconduct and abuse in the sector.

— That's legally blind skiier Georgia Gunew, explaining her and skiing guide Ethan Jackson's communication style while on the slopes, talking via headsets in their helmets.

The pair say trust, honesty and continual communication are crucial for success. And that could be about to pay off, with Gurnew, who has been legally blind since the age of 15, now vying for a spot in the winter Paralympic Games. 

PLUS: If you want even more good news, a sick sea turtle rescued from South Australia's algal bloom is now making a recovery at the Adelaide Zoo.

And finally, to round out this Friday newsletter with a moment to look back on the big stories of the past seven days.

This week's quiz has everything — the NRL grand final, hikers stranded on Mount Everest, two questions about the Nobel Peace Prize, and a fun reason why fans of the hit Aussie soap Neighbours found themselves rushing to op shops this week. 

Think you can get 10 out of 10? 

And that's it for today. Thanks for reading. We'll be back at the same time on Monday with more. Have a great weekend!

Thomas and the ABC News Digital team.

US President Donald Trump predicts a deal between Israel and Hamas will lead to "lasting peace" in Gaza. Follow live.