Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed that Israel reserves the right to resume fighting Hamas if the ceasefire-for-hostages deal collapses, with full U.S. backing for such a move.
Netanyahu made his statement just hours before the ceasefire was set to begin on Sunday morning.
Israel Praises Gaza Ceasefire Deal
In a televised address, Netanyahu praised the ceasefire deal, attributing its success to the efforts of both outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and incoming President-elect Donald Trump.
He expressed gratitude for the support and reiterated his commitment to achieving Israel’s war objectives, despite facing significant political pressure domestically.
“This agreement is the result of the courage of our fighters and our steadfast stand on Israel’s vital interests,” Netanyahu said. He cautioned Hamas to adhere to the terms of the deal.
Gaza Ceasefire Agreement: Three Key Principles
Netanyahu outlined three core principles that guided Israel’s approach to the ceasefire agreement:
Right to Resume War: Israel retains the right to return to war with U.S. support if the second phase of the deal breaks down.
Hostage Release: Netanyahu pushed to significantly increase the number of hostages to be released in the first stage. He claimed to have nearly doubled the number of hostages to be freed since discussions began in May. The first stage of the deal will see 33 hostages released by Hamas, though it remains unclear how many are alive.
Control Over the Philadelphi Corridor: Israel insisted on maintaining full control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border and the security buffer zone around Gaza, despite prior negotiations over military presence in the area. Netanyahu confirmed that Israel’s military presence in the corridor had even increased slightly.
Ceasefire Timeline And Hostage Exchange
Qatar mediated the ceasefire set to begin at 8:30 am local time on Sunday. However, both sides have suggested that a hostage exchange will only occur after 4 pm.
Families of hostages held in Gaza are anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones’ release, while Palestinians are preparing to receive freed detainees. Humanitarian groups are also preparing to provide aid.
Netanyahu demanded that Hamas provide a list of hostages to be released before any prisoner swap could occur. His office stated that it would delay progress on the framework until it received the list.
Also Read: Israel Approves Ceasefire Agreement For Hostage Release, Set To Take Effect Sunday
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