TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” pinch Hamas was holding up Israeli support of a long-awaited ceasefire that would region nan fighting successful nan Gaza Strip and merchandise dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed astatine slightest 72 group successful nan war-ravaged territory.
Netanyahu began signaling location were issues pinch nan woody conscionable hours aft U.S. President Joe Biden and cardinal mediator Qatar announced it was complete. The objection created a dual reality: War-weary Palestinians successful Gaza, nan relatives of hostages held location and world leaders each welcomed an agreement, expected to statesman Sunday, moreover arsenic Netanyahu said it was not yet finalized.
It was not yet clear if Netanyahu’s statements simply reflected jockeying to support his fractious conjugation together aliases whether nan woody was astatine risk.
Netanyahu’s agency said his Cabinet won’t meet to o.k. nan woody until Hamas backs down, accusing it of reneging connected parts of nan statement successful an effort to summation further concessions, without elaborating.
Izzat al-Rishq, a elder Hamas official, said nan militant group “is committed to nan ceasefire agreement, which was announced by nan mediators.”
The deal announced Wednesday would spot a scores of hostages held successful Gaza released and a region successful fighting pinch a position to yet upwind down a 15-month war that has destabilized nan Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
Hamas triggered nan warfare pinch its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border onslaught into Israel that killed immoderate 1,200 group and took 250 others hostage.
Israel responded pinch a fierce violative that has killed complete 46,000 Palestinians, according to section wellness officials, who do not separate betwixt civilians and militants but opportunity women and children dress up much than half of those killed. Israel says it has killed complete 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
The subject run has besides leveled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed astir 90% of Gaza’s organization of 2.3 cardinal group from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and illness successful squalid shelter camps connected nan coast, according to United Nations officials.
Netanyahu faces dense soul pressure
Netanyahu’s agency earlier accused Hamas of backtracking connected an knowing that he said would springiness Israel a veto complete which prisoners convicted of execution would beryllium released successful speech for hostages.
The Israeli premier curate has faced great home pressure to bring location nan scores of hostages, but his far-right conjugation partners person threatened to bring down his authorities if he makes excessively galore concessions. He has capable guidance support to o.k. an statement moreover without those partners, but doing truthful would weaken his coalition.
One of his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has already travel retired against nan deal. Another, Bezalel Smotrich, posted connected X precocious Wednesday that he was demanding “absolute certainty” that Israel tin resume nan warfare later, calling nan existent woody “bad and dangerous” for Israel.
The departure of some of their factions would earnestly destabilize nan authorities and could lead to early elections.
A nighttime of dense Israeli strikes
Palestinians successful Gaza reported dense Israeli bombardment overnight arsenic group were celebrating nan ceasefire deal. In erstwhile conflicts, some sides person stepped up subject operations successful nan last hours earlier ceasefires arsenic a measurement to task strength.
“We were expecting that nan business would intensify nan bombing, for illustration they did each clip location were reports connected advancement successful nan truce (negotiations),” said Mohammed Mahdi, who fled his location a fewer months agone and is sheltering successful Gaza City.
Ahmed Mattar, who lives adjacent nan city’s Al-Ahly hospital, said he heard “massive airstrikes” overnight.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes person killed astatine slightest 72 group since nan ceasefire woody was announced. It said nan toll from Thursday’s strikes only includes bodies brought to 2 hospitals successful Gaza City, and that nan existent toll is apt higher.
“Yesterday was a bloody day, and coming is bloodier,” said Zaher al-Wahedi, caput of nan ministry’s registration department.
An Associated Press newsman connected nan Israeli broadside of nan separator adjacent Gaza heard much airstrikes and artillery occurrence connected Thursday.
A phased withdrawal and hostage merchandise pinch imaginable pitfalls
Under nan woody reached Wednesday, 33 of immoderate 100 hostages who stay successful Gaza are group to beryllium released complete nan adjacent six weeks successful speech for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will propulsion backmost from galore areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would beryllium capable to return to what’s near of their homes, and location would beryllium a surge of humanitarian assistance.
The remainder of nan hostages, including antheral soldiers, are to beryllium released successful a 2nd — and overmuch much difficult — shape that will beryllium negotiated during nan first. Hamas has said it will not merchandise nan remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a afloat Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to support fighting until it dismantles nan group and to support open-ended information power complete nan territory.
Ceasefire leaves questions astir Gaza’s early unanswered
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and nan U.S. are expected to meet successful Cairo connected Thursday for talks connected implementing nan agreement, which came aft a twelvemonth of intensive talks pinch repeated setbacks.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy joined nan talks successful nan last weeks, and some nan outgoing management and Trump’s squad are taking in installments for nan breakthrough.
Many longer-term questions astir postwar Gaza remain, including who will norm nan territory aliases oversee nan daunting task of reconstruction.
Israel has travel nether dense world criticism, including from its closest ally, nan United States, complete nan civilian toll successful Gaza. It besides blames Hamas for nan civilian casualties, accusing it of utilizing schools, hospitals and residential areas for subject purposes.
Hamas, a militant group that does not judge Israel’s existence, has travel nether overwhelming unit from Israeli subject operations, including nan penetration of Gaza’s largest cities and towns and nan takeover of nan separator betwixt Gaza and Egypt. Its apical leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to person helped mastermind nan Oct. 7, 2023, attack, person been killed.
But its fighters person regrouped successful immoderate of nan hardest-hit areas aft nan withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising nan imaginable of a prolonged insurgency if nan warfare continues.
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Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press newsman Sam McNeil successful confederate Israel contributed.
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