Israel’s Government Has Finally Approved The Ceasefire Deal After Blaming Hamas For Last Minute Setbacks
Israeli media had suggested that the delay happened because far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened to quit the government if the war ended.
The Israeli government has finally approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the vote, citing a “last-minute crisis” caused by Hamas.
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Qatar announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire deal that was due to take effect on Sunday, Jan. 19.
The announcement of a ceasefire deal prompted thousands to celebrate in Gaza after 15 months of war in which Israel has killed 46,707 Palestinians.
The Israeli cabinet was supposed to meet on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 16, to approve the ceasefire deal.
However, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement later on Wednesday that the cabinet will not meet as scheduled claiming that Hamas backed out on parts of the agreement, delaying the deal.
“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” the statement said.
Israeli media had suggested that the delay happened because far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened to quit the government if the war ended.
Netanyahu’s office later specified that the “last-minute crisis” was related to some of the Palestinians Israel would release.
It said Hamas was “demanding to dictate the identity of these murderers,” contradicting the agreement, according to the Times of Israel.
In response, a senior Hamas official said Hamas remains committed to the deal as announced by mediators, despite Israel’s accusations, Al Jazeera reported.
In a pre-dawn statement on Friday, Jan. 17, Netanyahu announced that the ceasefire deal had been reached and he would convene his security cabinet later in the day to approve it.
Netanyahu said the families of the hostages who were to be released had been informed and that he had instructed a special task force to prepare to receive them, according to AP.
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