Gaza Ceasefire: Netanyahu Plays Hardball Ahead Of Breaking Point
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the start of the Gaza ceasefire, initially scheduled for 8:30 am (0630 GMT), demanding that Hamas first submit the names of captives to be released. Netanyahu’s office stated, “The Prime Minister instructed the IDF that the ceasefire will not begin until Israel has the list of released abductees that Hamas has pledged to provide.”
Hamas attributed the delay to “technical field reasons” but reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire deal. Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker commented on the intense international pressure on both sides, saying, “It would be very difficult to see how the ceasefire, particularly in the first phase, does not go ahead.”
The ceasefire, which marks the second in this conflict, comes after over six weeks of devastating violence. Since Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken to Gaza, the conflict has claimed more than 46,800 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Netanyahu, in a speech hours before the planned truce, reiterated that this was a “temporary ceasefire” and that Israel retained the right to resume its military campaign. He also claimed US backing to take further action should the ceasefire’s second phase fail.
Under the agreement, the first six weeks of the truce will see 33 hostages returned to Israel and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released. Israeli troops are expected to pull back into a buffer zone within Gaza, enabling displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and opening the region to increased humanitarian aid.
While the deal raises hopes for peace, major uncertainties remain. Negotiations for the second phase, addressing the release of nearly 100 additional hostages and the long-term status of the truce, are set to begin in two weeks.
Israel’s Cabinet approved the ceasefire during an extraordinary Sabbath session on Saturday, following pressure from both outgoing US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to finalise the deal before Monday’s US presidential inauguration.
As Gaza grapples with unprecedented destruction, and both sides navigate deep divisions, the region holds its breath, awaiting the fragile truce’s implementation.
