Israel's Netanyahu accuses Hamas of trying to back out of the ceasefire agreement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on a more than year-long ceasefire and hostage-taking deal.

Netanyahu's office said Thursday that his cabinet would not meet to pass a Gaza ceasefire until Hamas withdraws from what it called a “last-minute crisis.”

Netanyahu's office accused Hamas, without elaborating, of trying to backtrack on part of the agreement in an effort to “extract approval at the last minute.”

The Israeli cabinet was due to approve the deal on Thursday.

President Biden joined Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a news conference Wednesday announcing the deal would begin in three phases.

ISRAEL-HAMS CEASE-FIRE, AGREEMENT ON THE RELEASE OF MISSIONARIES ACHIEVED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF IT'

Biden said the first phase would last six weeks and “include a complete cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all residential areas of Gaza, and the release of a large number of people held hostage by Hamas, including women and the elderly and I am proud to say that the American people will be part of that release of hostages and and first grade and I can't wait to welcome them home.

In exchange, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians “can return to their homes in all areas of Gaza, and humanitarian aid will begin to flow into Gaza.”

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Efrat Lachter of Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.