Netanyahu calls Hamas’ delay in ratifying Gaza truce and hostage deal a ‘last-minute crisis’ | Wilnesh News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was preventing Israel from ratifying a long-awaited ceasefire that would halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 72 people in the war-torn region.

Shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced the deal was complete, Netanyahu suggested there were problems with the deal. That creates a dual reality: War-weary Palestinians in Gaza, relatives of hostages held there and world leaders have welcomed the deal expected to begin on Sunday, although Netanyahu has said it has not yet been finalized .

It was unclear whether Netanyahu’s comments were simply an effort to maintain his fractious alliance or whether there were risks to the deal.

Israel’s cabinet is expected to vote on the deal on Thursday, but Netanyahu’s office said they will not meet until Hamas makes concessions and accused Hamas of violating parts of the deal to try to secure further concessions , but without elaborating.

Senior Hamas official Izat Rishq said the militant group was “committed to abiding by the ceasefire announced by the mediators”.

this The deal was announced on Wednesday Dozens of hostages held in Gaza will be released and fighting will be paused in the hope of an eventual cessation 15 months of war That has Destabilizing the Middle East and triggered worldwide protest.

Hamas launched a cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 250 people hostage, triggering the war.

According to local health officials, Israel has launched a fierce offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants but has provided no evidence.

The military operation also leveled large areas of Gaza and drove approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of people battle hunger and disease in squalid tent camps along the coast, according to U.N. officials.

Netanyahu faces heavy internal pressure

Netanyahu’s office earlier accused Hamas of reneging on an understanding that he said would give Israel veto power over the release of prisoners convicted of murder in exchange for hostages.

Israel’s prime minister faces intense domestic pressure to bring dozens of hostages home, but his far-right coalition partners are threatening to overthrow his government if he makes too many concessions. Even without these partners, he would have enough opposition support to ratify a deal, but doing so would weaken his coalition.

One of his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has come out against the deal. Another person named Bezalel Smotrich posted on X on Wednesday night that he demanded “absolute certainty” that Israel could resume the war later, saying the current deal would be detrimental to Israel. Said it was “bad and dangerous.”

The departure of both their factions would severely destabilize the government and could lead to early elections.

Night of violent Israeli attacks

Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombings at night as people celebrated the ceasefire. In past conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before a ceasefire as a way of projecting power.

“We expect the occupation to intensify the bombing, as they do every time there are reports of progress in the truce (negotiations),” said Mohammed al-Mahdi, who fled his home several months ago and took refuge in Gaza City.

Ahmed Matar, who lives near the city’s Ahli hospital, said he heard “massive air strikes” last night.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that Israeli air strikes have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire agreement was announced. Reports said the death toll from Thursday’s attack only included bodies taken to two hospitals in Gaza City, and the actual death toll may be higher.

“Yesterday was a bloody day and today is even bloodier,” said Zaher Wahdi, head of the ministry’s registration department.

On Thursday, AP reporters on the Israeli side of the border near Gaza heard more airstrikes and artillery fire.

Phased troop withdrawal and hostage release have potential pitfalls

Under a deal reached on Wednesday, 33 of the approximately 100 hostages remaining in Gaza will be released within the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli troops will withdraw from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will be able to return to their remaining homes, and humanitarian aid will be significantly increased.

The remaining hostages, including male soldiers, will be released in a second (much more difficult) phase, which will be negotiated in the first phase. Hamas has said it will not release remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to continue fighting until it disbands the group and maintains unlimited security control over the territory.

Ceasefire leaves Gaza’s future hanging in the balance

Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United States are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday to negotiate the implementation of the deal.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy participated in the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trump’s team praised the breakthrough.

Many long-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the arduous task of reconstruction.

Israel has come under heavy criticism from the international community, including from its closest ally, the United States, for civilian casualties in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes.

Hamas, a militant group that does not accept Israel’s existence, has come under intense pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gaza’s largest town and the occupation of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders have been killed, including Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to have been involved in planning the October 7, 2023 attack.

But after Israeli troops withdrew, its militants have regrouped in some of the worst-hit areas, and if the war continues, the insurgency could last for a long time.