Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas is holding up the ceasefire agreement that would release hostages.
The Israeli Cabinet was expected to vote on the deal Thursday, but is now no longer meeting until Hamas backs down from new demands.
“Last night the prime minister strongly insisted that Hamas fold their last-minute demand to change the deployment of IDF forces in the Philadelphi corridor, which is so important, so crucial to stop weapon smuggling to Hamas,” Netanyahu’s spokesman, David Mencer, told reporters.
“To be clear, the government of Israel wants to finalize an agreement,” Mencer added. “We want to bring our people home and we hope that the details will indeed be finalized.”
Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq wrote on Telegram that the group is “committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators.”
Another official told Al-Arabiya TV that “there is no basis for Netanyahu’s allegations that the movement has backed down from the terms of the ceasefire agreement.” The official claimed Israel “wants to create a state of tension at a critical time and we demand that it be obligated to implement the agreement.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told NBC News that the U.S. is “aware of these issues” raised by Israel, emphasizing that the deal “has got to get approved by the Israeli government.”
Discussing the timing of the impending ceasefire agreement, Kirby said, “Hamas is weaker now and more willing to make a deal.”
The ceasefire agreement calls for the release of three hostages on the first day, according to reports, followed by weekly hostage releases. Women, children, and men over the age of 50 will be given priority. Hostages are to be released over the course of 42 days. About 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange. Up to 600 humanitarian trucks would enter Gaza daily.
