THE fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas appears to be teetering on the edge of collapse.
The terror group still haven’t released the agreed hostage list, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
AlamyIsrael and Hamas’ ceasefire is on the brink of collapse as Hamas still haven’t released a list of hostages set to be freed[/caption]
apIsraeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel won’t go ahead with the truce without the hostage list[/caption]
AFPSmoke plumes rising from explosions above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip on January 18[/caption]
AFPA woman holds a picture of ‘Amit Soussana’ who’s been kept as hostage in Gaza[/caption]
The truce, if agreed, would begin on tomorrow at 6.30am.
But Netanyahu has warned the ceasefire deal is at risk as Israel will not go ahead until Hamas releases the list of the 33 hostages to be freed.
In a statement released today, Netanyahu’s office emphasised Israel’s stance.
It read: “We will not move forward with the outline until we receive the list of hostages to be released, as agreed.
“Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. The sole responsibility lies with Hamas.”
US President-Elect Donald Trump earlier this week said Israel and Hamas had finally agreed to release the hostages trapped in Gaza after the brutal 15-month war.
The world had been waiting with bated breath as negotiators hammered out a peace deal.
For over a year, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have worked behind the scenes to craft a ceasefire plan, culminating in this week’s announcement that a deal had been reached.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that the proposed agreement includes both a ceasefire and a hostage release plan, with the truce expected to go into effect on Sunday morning.
If successful, the first hostages could be freed from Hamas captivity in a matter of days.
But Netanyahu’s latest warning has cast doubt on whether the ceasefire will proceed as planned.
Late Wednesday night, the Israeli PM claimed Hamas had backtracked on part of the agreement but stopped short of saying the deal had fallen apart.
THREE-PHASE AGREEMENT
The ceasefire is built around a three-phase plan that aims to address both the hostage crisis and the broader humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase that includes gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to north Gaza, says an official briefed on the agreement.
It will require 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of ceasefire, 50 of them carrying fuel, with 300 of the trucks allocated to north.
The first phase will focus on the release of 33 hostages, including women, children, and the elderly, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The hostages released in the initial 42 days are reportedly those in critical condition – including one-year-old Kfir Bibas.
The next to be freed will be female civilians and female soldiers before finally the remaining civilian men, Channel 12 reports.
Biden also announced that part of the deal will see US hostages released in this initial phase.
During this stage, Israeli forces will withdraw from population centers in Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to what remains of their homes.
Humanitarian aid is expected to flood the region, with 600 trucks of supplies entering Gaza daily.
The second phase will see Hamas release the remaining hostages, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for further prisoner releases and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
In the third and final phase, the bodies of hostages who did not survive captivity will be returned to their families.
In exchange, Gaza would receive a three- to five-year reconstruction plan overseen by international authorities.
Over 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced since the start of the bloody war – with many of their homes decimated in the conflict.
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