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Netanyahu’s office blames Hamas for causing ‘last-minute crisis’; but Palestinian group says it has committed to the agreement that was announced.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his cabinet will not meet as scheduled to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, blaming Hamas for causing a “last-minute crisis”.
The Israeli cabinet was set to meet on Thursday morning to ratify the deal, with the ceasefire scheduled to take effect from Sunday.
“Hamas reneges on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last minute concessions,” a statement from Netanyahu said. “The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”
Following the Israeli announcement, senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Risheq, said in a statement that the Palestinian group was committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators on Wednesday.
Earlier, several Israeli families, together with supporters, staged a sit-in in front of Netanyahu’s office, calling for the cabinet to not sign the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
“Do not sign a deal that means surrender, sacrificing the remaining kidnapped and giving up Israel’s security,” Yehoshua Shani, the father of Captain Uri Shani who was killed during the fighting, said in a video message.
“Come here before the cabinet meeting, and join us to ask the prime minister to stop and not sign a surrender deal with Hamas.”
More to follow …
