Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed a Cabinet vote on a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, citing a ‘last-minute crisis’ due to claims that Hamas has reneged on parts of the deal. The deal, which was intended to be finalized by Thursday morning, is now reportedly “in limbo” until the two parties reach a new agreement.
Netanyahu’s office alleges that Hamas is attempting to extort additional concessions by disputing the terms related to the identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released. In contrast, Hamas officials deny these allegations, asserting that there has been no backtracking from their side, and Gaza officials report that Israel has conducted 50 airstrikes in the last 24 hours alone.
“Hamas is reneging on the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”
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The ceasefire, which was announced as a three-phase agreement mediated by the US and Qatar, was set to include a complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, and the release of hostages. The anticipated first phase would have taken effect on January 19, allowing for humanitarian aid into Gaza in exchange for the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 attacks. These will include women, children, and men over 50. Some of the hostages included in this group are believed to already be dead, meaning their bodies will be surrendered alongside the living hostages.
The postponement has sparked concerns and debates within the Israeli government regarding the coalition’s stability and public response to the deal.
The brutal conflict in Gaza has raged since October 2023, when Hamas gunmen conducted a coordinated raid into Israeli territory, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Hamas in Gaza have led to the deaths of an estimated 46,000 people, most of them civilians caught in the crossfire.
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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