Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday (Jan 17) that a deal has been reached with Hamas on the release of hostages and a ceasefire. File photo
Israel-Hamas ceasefire: PM Netanyahu to convene Cabinet meeting
The prime minister’s office had earlier said there were ‘snags’ in finalising the deal, and Netanyahu had accused the Hamas of backtracking on some details of the deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday (January 17) that a deal has been reached to release hostages held by Hamas.
In a major breakthrough, Netanyahu said he would convene a meeting of the Israeli Cabinet later on Friday to approve the deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of hostages and for a ceasefire.
Also Read: Israel, Hamas reached ceasefire, hostage deal: Biden
The prime minister’s office had earlier said there were “snags” in finalising the deal, and Netanyahu had accused the Hamas of backtracking on some details of the deal.
Biden's announcement
On Wednesday (January 15), US President Joe Biden had announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire and hostage deal, and that the agreement would halt the fighting in Gaza.
“Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal,” Biden had announced, making the deal the last foreign policy accomplishment of his administration which ends on January 20.
Biden said that the deal would halt the fighting in Gaza, assure needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.
Qatar’s Prime Minister had also confirmed that the ceasefire in Gaza would commence on Sunday (January 19), and that 33 Israeli hostages would be released in the first phase of the truce.
Also Read: Hamas, Israel peace welcome but underlying conflict can undermine deal
The US, Egypt, and Qatar have expended a lot of effort during the past one year to bring the 15-month war to an end.
The conflict began after a deadly attack by Hamas on Israeli soil during which they took 251 Israelis hostages. Israel responded with air and ground attacks that have killed more than 46,000 people, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The bombing also left much of the territory in ruins, and displaced a majority of Gaza’s population.
