Ceasefire deal: Netanyahu says 'last minute crisis' with Hamas holding up approval
Israel-Hamas: Netanyahu delays ceasefire deal
NOW: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that 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. Netanyahu’s office said his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement until Hamas backs down, accusing it of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions, without elaborating.
Israel’s Cabinet won’t meet to approve an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages due to a "last-minute crisis" with Hamas holding up approval, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Netanyahu’s office on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions.
FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on Dec. 9, 2024. (Photo by MAYA ALLERUZZO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Ceasefire deal: What are the terms?
What we know:
Under the deal reached on Wednesday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second 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.
What we don't know:
While Netanyahu’s office on Thursday said the "last-minute crisis" with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of the ceasefire agreement, it did not elaborate further on what had transpired.
Strikes in Gaza since announcement of ceasefire deal
By the numbers:
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 48 bodies of people killed since midday Wednesday were brought to several hospitals. Around half of the dead were women and children, Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministry’s registration department, told The Associated Press.
Overall, Israel’s offensive has killed over 46,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry. It does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
The Source: This story was reported citing information from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and Gaza's Health Ministry. It was reported from Cincinnati, and the Associated Press contributed.