Despite agreeing to the ceasefire agreement, Israel is carrying out reckless attacks on Gaza.
At least 81 Palestinians have been killed in a massive Israeli assault on Gaza amid a ceasefire agreement agreed by Israel and Hamas to end the 15-month-long war and hopes it will take effect on Sunday.
According to Al Jazeera, Israel has intensified attacks on Gaza since the news of the ceasefire agreement was reached. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said a large number of Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours.
At least 20 people have been killed in an Israeli attack on the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza. Many others were seriously injured when they were crushed under collapsed houses. Prior to this attack, Israel carried out eight other attacks.
With the latest Palestinian death toll, the number of Palestinians killed by Israel since the start of the war in Gaza stands at 46,744. Gaza’s Health Ministry said in a statement.
Israel has not commented on the matter. On Wednesday, Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
The agreement is scheduled to take effect on Sunday. The deal initially includes a six-week periodic ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, as well as the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
According to the agreement, the Palestinians will return about 100 hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023. In return, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners. In the first phase, 33 hostages will be released. In return, Israel would release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel will not be able to formally accept the deal until it has been approved by a vote by its security cabinet and government. The vote is scheduled for Thursday.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Hamas had made a new demand at the last minute. The Israeli cabinet will not meet until mediators confirm that Hamas has accepted all the terms of the deal.
It is unclear what impact this delay will have on the ceasefire agreement. A Hamas official denied Thursday that the last-minute crisis was created over a ceasefire deal.
“Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the negotiators on Wednesday,” said senior Hamas official Ijjat al-Rishq. ”
Meanwhile, hardliners in Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government are still hoping to block the deal. However, a majority of ministers are expected to back the deal.
Israel’s finance minister has said his party will only remain in government if Israel starts fighting the war with full force until it defeats Hamas. Ben Gavir, the far-right police minister, has also threatened to leave the government if a ceasefire is approved.