(Adnkronos) – The agreement with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza was signed overnight. With a day’s delay, the representatives of Israel, Hamas, the United States and Qatar, meeting in Doha, overcame the last obstacles to an agreement. The Israeli security cabinet will meet today after finalizing the last details of the agreement for a truce in Gaza and the release of the hostages. This was announced by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Washington said it was “confident” about the start of the ceasefire from Sunday, when the truce, announced on Wednesday by Qatar and the United States, will have to come into effect if voted by the Israeli government. In an initial six-week phase, it provides for the release of 33 hostages held in the Palestinian territory, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
In this first phase, a definitive end to the war will be negotiated. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached for the release of the hostages,” his office said in a statement. “The Prime Minister has ordered that the political and security cabinet meet tomorrow. The government will then meet to approve the agreement,” Netanyahu’s office said yesterday, adding that the hostages’ families had been informed and preparations were underway to welcome them.
In a statement, the leaders of the G7 countries called the agreement “important news” and called on Hamas and Israel to “ensure its full implementation and a definitive end to hostilities”. The Israeli Prime Minister is certain to obtain a majority despite opposition from far-right ministers. One of them, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, said yesterday that he would resign if the government adopted the “irresponsible” truce agreement with Hamas. Israel has stated that Hamas has backtracked “on some points” of the agreement. The Islamist movement warned that “any aggression, any bombing” by Israel on Gaza endangers the hostages.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “confident” that the agreement would enter into force. “I expect implementation to begin, as we said, on Sunday,” he told a farewell news conference in Washington. Egypt, which has participated in mediation efforts with Qatar and the United States, has called for the agreement to be implemented “without delay”. In the Gaza Strip, where the ceasefire announcement had sparked scenes of joy, Israeli attacks killed 81 people in 24 hours, the Hamas health ministry said yesterday. Civil Protection reported a “sharp intensification” of the bombings, which continued throughout the day. The army said it had hit some “50 targets” in 24 hours.
