Israeli Cabinet to vote on Gaza ceasefire deal after Netanyahu says agreement reached with Hamas

By Josef Al Shemary

A ceasefire deal has been agreed and officially signed by representatives for Israel and Hamas in Doha, Benjamin Netanyahu has said, a day after he accused Hamas of backtracking on some of the agreed terms.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza has been reached.

The announcement came a day after Netanyahu's office said there were last-minute snags in talks to free hostages in return for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said he would convene his security cabinet on Friday and then the government to approve the agreement, which means the implementation of the deal will likely be delayed by a day.

Israel delayed its vote on whether to accept the deal, which was due on Thursday morning, as Netanyahu accused Hamas of backtracking on part of the deal - an accusation the group denies.

The ceasefire deal was initially supposed to be implemented on Sunday, but the release of the first hostages will now likely take place on Monday.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 87 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, as Israel steps up its attacks.

Netanyahu is facing pressure from a number of far-right members of his coalition, including national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have threatened to resign if the ceasefire deal is approved.

Read more: How an Israel-Hamas ceasefire would work, as US says deal is close

Israel's security cabinet is expected to meet on Friday to sign it off - ahead of an initial six-week truce, seeing the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli negotiating team called Netanyahu to inform him the deal had been signed, with the premier thanking them for their efforts, the statement said.

The families of the remaining 98 hostages have also been updated, according to the statement, which says the prime minister told authorities to work together on preparations for receiving the hostages who will be freed as part of the deal.

“The State of Israel is committed to achieving all the goals of the war, including the return of all our hostages — both the living and the dead,” the statement added.

Hamas has denied Netanyahu's claims of a last-minute "blackmail attempt".

Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group "is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators".

US President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced the deal on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, ceasefire celebrations in Gaza have turned to grief as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 87 Palestinians, including at least 21 children and 25 women, since the deal was announced.

Read more: Australian influencer charged with torture after poisoning baby 'for clicks and cash'

Read more: Thames Valley Police chief constable suspended after gross misconduct allegations

It would bring about the release of 33 hostages over the coming six weeks in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli withdrawal from many parts of the territory.

War-weary Palestinians in Gaza, the relatives of hostages held there and world leaders all welcomed an agreement, now expected to begin Monday.

Netanyahu has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of hostages, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions.

Many Israelis, especially relatives of captives, support a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza.

But many far-right members of Netanyahu's coalition have said they would resign if the ceasefire was signed, while others said they would resign if Israel didn't restart the war after the initial six-week ceasefire.

He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement, but doing so would weaken his coalition and make early elections more likely.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 87 people over the past day.

In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. This time, no Hamas attacks have been reported, while Israel has ramped up its airstrikes.

Gaza's Health Ministry said the bodies of people killed since midday on Wednesday were brought to several hospitals.

Around half of the dead were women and children, Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministry's registration department, told The Associated Press.

"Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier," he said. He said the toll could increase as hospitals continue to update their records.