Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. A senior Hamas official said the militant group “is committed to the ceasefire agreement.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes meanwhile killed dozens of people across the war-ravaged territory.
US President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced the deal on Wednesday , which is aimed at releasing scores of hostages held in Gaza and winding down a 15-month war that has destabilised the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Netanyahu has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of hostages, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement, but doing so would weaken his coalition and make early elections more likely.Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal.
The remaining hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second – and much more difficult – phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory.
Many longer-term questions about post-war Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has destabilised the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
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