Netanyahu’s ceasefire deal faces backlash

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that an agreement has been reached for the return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, after initially declaring that there were last-minute obstacles to finalizing a ceasefire that would pause the 15-month war, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

Netanyahu said he would convene his security cabinet later on Friday, and then the Government would approve the long-awaited agreement for the release of hostages.

This statement by Netanyahu seems to pave the way for Israel's approval of the deal, which calls for a halt to fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages held by radical fighters in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The agreement would also allow for the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to their homes in Gaza, reports REL.

The Israeli Prime Minister mentioned that he had instructed a special task force to prepare for the reception of the hostages returning from Gaza, and their families have been informed that the agreement has been reached.

On Thursday, Israel postponed the vote on the ceasefire, blaming Hamas—the Palestinian group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union—for last-minute disagreements, while growing tensions within Netanyahu's governing coalition added concerns about the implementation of the agreement.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and mediator Qatar had announced that the deal was finalized. Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of rejecting parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. In a press conference on Thursday, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer stated that Hamas had made new demands, which were related to the deployment of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip of land on the border with Egypt that Israeli troops took control of in May of last year.

Hamas dismissed these accusations, with senior group official Izzat al-Rishq declaring that Hamas is "committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was made public by the mediators."

The ceasefire agreement has faced strong resistance from Netanyahu's coalition partners, on whom his hold on power depends. On Thursday, hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the Government if Israel approves the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire agreement would pause the 15-month war that has rocked the Middle East and sparked protests worldwide. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and abducting about 250 others.

Israel responded with a devastating offensive, which has left more than 46,000 Palestinians dead in Gaza.