Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement while Israeli approval of the deal remains delayed.
The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement announced on Wednesday, despite Israeli claims of last-minute changes by the Palestinian group.
Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas leader, stated on Thursday that the movement is fully committed to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier statements, which suggested that Hamas had backed away from certain parts of the agreement, delaying Israel’s approval.
Netanyahu claimed that Hamas was attempting to extract additional concessions and insisted that the Israeli government would not set a date for a security cabinet meeting until the mediators confirmed that Hamas had agreed to all aspects of the deal.
Following this, Israeli Army Radio reported that a scheduled cabinet meeting was postponed indefinitely, with no new date set for the session.
An unnamed Israeli official later added that the ceasefire would not be officially implemented until both the Israeli government and the Security Cabinet gave their approval.
The Gaza Ceasefire Agreement: Key Points and Steps Toward Reconstruction
The ceasefire agreement, which marks a significant step toward ending the 15-month Israeli military campaign in Gaza, was announced by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during a press conference in Doha on Wednesday evening.
The agreement is set to take effect on Sunday, pending the approval of both parties involved. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have pledged to work closely to ensure the successful implementation of the deal.
The announcement follows months of intensive negotiations and a prolonged conflict that has resulted in devastating casualties, with over 46,000 Palestinians killed and more than 110,000 injured since the beginning of the Israeli offensive.
Following the announcement, Israeli forces continued to carry out massacres throughout Gaza, killing at least 71 Palestinians and wounding over 200 more, according to the Civil Defense.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Gaza Despite Ceasefire Deal
Ongoing Genocide
The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 46,707 Palestinians have been killed, and 110,265 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.
The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.
LIVE BLOG: Israel to Withdraw from Gaza | 71 Palestinians Killed in Ongoing Strikes – Day 468
Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.
The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.
(PC, AJA)
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