'Last-minute crisis' as Hamas delays Israel's approval of Gaza ceasefire – National
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israel's approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and free dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the conflict-ridden area.
Netanyahu signaled that there were problems with the deal shortly after US President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar declared it dead. That creates a double reality: The Palestinian people who are tired of the conflicts in Gaza, the relatives of the hostages who were held there and the world leaders have all accepted the agreement, which is expected to start on Sunday, even as Netanyahu said it was not yet finalized.
It was not clear whether Netanyahu's statements reflected a scramble to keep his fractured coalition together or a deal in jeopardy.
Israel's cabinet was expected to vote on the deal on Thursday, but Netanyahu's office said it would not meet until Hamas withdraws, accusing it of withdrawing parts of the deal in an effort to gain more concessions, without elaborating.
Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group “is committed to the cease-fire agreement, which was announced by the mediators.”
The deal announced on Wednesday will see dozens of hostages held in Gaza released and a pause in fighting aimed at finally ending the 15-month conflict that has devastated the Middle East and sparked protests around the world.
Hamas began the conflict with its attack on Oct. 7, 2023, crossed the border into Israel killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages.
Israel responded with heavy attacks that killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who did not distinguish between civilians and militants but said women and children accounted for more than half of those killed. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
The military campaign has also increased the number of Gazans, and forced almost 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are fighting hunger and disease in filthy tent camps on the coast, according to United Nations officials.
Netanyahu is facing a lot of internal pressure
Previously, Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of going back on its understanding that it would give Israel a veto on which prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for the release of hostages.
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Israel's prime minister has faced intense domestic pressure to return dozens of hostages, but his allies have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. He has enough opposition support to approve the deal even without those partners, but doing so would weaken his coalition.
One of his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has already opposed the deal. Another, Bezalel Smotrich, wrote in X late Wednesday that he wants “absolute certainty” that Israel can restart the war later, calling the current deal “bad and dangerous” for Israel.
The departure of both their parties will seriously weaken the government and may lead to early elections.
A night of heavy Israeli strikes
Palestinians in Gaza reported shelling from Israel overnight as people celebrated the ceasefire agreement. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before a cease-fire as a means of exerting force.
“We expected that the operation would intensify the bombings, as they have done every time there are reports about the progress of the agreement (negotiations),” said Mohammed Mahdi, who fled his home a few months ago to seek refuge in Gaza City.
Ahmed Mattar, who lives near Al-Ahly city hospital, said he heard “huge airstrikes” throughout the night.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli strikes have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire was announced. It said the number of Thursday's strikes only included bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City, and that the real number was likely higher.
“Yesterday was a day full of blood, and today is full of blood,” said Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministry's registration department.
An Associated Press reporter on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza heard airstrikes and gunfire Thursday.
Buildings destroyed by Israeli bombs as seen inside the Gaza Strip from southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
AP Photo/Ariel Schalit
Delegitimization and release of hostages can have pitfalls
Under the deal reached on Wednesday, 33 of the 100 remaining hostages in Gaza are expected to be released in the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel. Israeli forces will withdraw from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will be able to return to the remaining areas of their homes, and there will be an increase in humanitarian aid.
The rest of the hostages, including the male soldiers, will be released in a second – and more difficult – phase that will be negotiated at the first time. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining prisoners without a permanent disarmament and a complete withdrawal of Israel, while Israel has vowed to continue fighting until it disbands the group and to maintain security control in the area.
The ceasefire leaves questions about the future of Gaza unanswered
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the US are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday to discuss implementing the accord, which came after a year of tough and back-and-forth negotiations.
US President-elect Donald Trump's envoy to the Mideast has joined the talks in recent weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trump's team are proud of this achievement.
Many lingering questions about post-conflict Gaza remain, including who will govern the area or oversee the difficult task of reconstruction.
Israel has been heavily criticized by the international community, including its closest ally, the United States, for the massacre in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the deaths, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes.
Hamas, a terrorist group that does not accept Israel's presence, has come under heavy pressure from Israeli military operations, including attacks on major cities and towns in Gaza and the occupation of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to have masterminded the October 7, 2023 attack, have been killed.
But its fighters have regrouped in some of the worst-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli troops, raising the prospect of a protracted insurgency if the conflict continues.
Surafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Sam McNeil in southern Israel contributed.
