Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Thursday that his Cabinet will not convene to approve the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages until Hamas addresses what it called a “last-minute crisis.”
The Israeli government accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the deal in an attempt to “extort last-minute concessions,” though no further details were provided.
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The Israeli Cabinet was initially expected to ratify the agreement Thursday. The deal, brokered by US President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar, was announced on Wednesday. It would secure the release of 33 hostages over the next six weeks in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli withdrawal from several parts of Gaza.
In a dramatic escalation of violence, Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 48 people in the past 24 hours. Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that the toll included a significant number of women and children, with the bodies of the deceased brought to hospitals. The death toll is expected to rise as hospitals continue to update their records.
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The ceasefire and hostage release agreement, which is set to take effect on January 19, marks a potential turning point in the ongoing conflict. According to the announcement from Qatar, Egypt, and the US, the deal includes a three-stage process designed to bring about a “sustainable calm.” The terms of the agreement entail not only the release of hostages and prisoners but also the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas and the resumption of humanitarian aid operations.
If the deal is successfully implemented, it could bring an end to one of the bloodiest chapters in Israel-Hamas relations, though the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved.
