Gaza peace deal in danger of COLLAPSE before it even starts as Netanyahu accuses Hamas of ‘blackmail’ & blitz ‘kills 32’
THE deal to free hostages held in Gaza is in danger of collapse after Israel accused Hamas terrorists of “last-minute blackmail.”
The much-anticipated historic deal to end 15 months of bloodshed and free the hostages was announced on Wednesday sparking celebrations across Israel and Gaza.
The deal which is set to go into effect on Sunday consists of three phases including the release of hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Hopes for a ceasefire plan, brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, have been in the works for over a year.
While the world breathed a sigh of relief when the agreement was reached, the Israeli PM accused Hamas of “blackmail” sparking fears the deal will collapse before it even starts.
Israeli air strikes were reported to have killed 73 Palestinians in the 25-mile coastal strip overnight.
And hours later, Israel accused Hamas of reneging on key parts of the complex deal – which has yet to be rubber-stamped by the Jewish nation’s cabinet.
A spokesman for Netanyahu’s office said: “Hamas is backing out of the explicit understandings agreed upon with the mediators and Israel in a last-minute blackmail attempt.
“Israel will not set a date for a cabinet and government meeting until the mediators announce that Hamas has approved all the details of the agreement.”
Israel’s cabinet was set to vote on the ceasefire deal later today but the crucial ratification meeting is now in doubt.
Senior Hamas official later denied the terror group was failing to stick to the deal – which could free the last remaining British hostage Emily Damari, 28.
Izzat el Reshiq said: “Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators.”
The Spurs fan was shot in the hand and suffered shrapnel wounds to the leg when she was snatched from the Kfar Aza kibbutz village on October 7.
But freed hostages later revealed Emily had helped cheer up other captives in Gaza’s terror tunnels.
She is second on a list of 34 names earmarked for release by Hamas.
It outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase that includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the return of Palestinians to Gaza.
The deal was finally announced as the world watched with bated breath hoping to see an end to the 15-month war in the Middle East.
US and Qatari go-betweens were last night attempting to bring the two sides together to keep the scheduled deal on track.
List of hostages Hamas say they will release
Women and children:
- Romi Gonen, 23
- Emily Damari, 27
- Arbel Yehud, 29
- Doron Steinbrecher, 31
- Ariel Bibas, 5
- Kfir Bibas, 1
- Shiri Silberman Bibas, 33
- Liri Albag, 19
- Karina Ariev, 20
- Agam Berger, 21
- Danielle Gilboa, 20
- Naama Levy, 20
Rest of the men:
- Ohad Ben-Ami, 58
- Gadi Moshe Moses, 80
- Keith Siegel, 65
- Ofer Calderon, 54
- Eli Sharabi, 52
- Itzik Elgarat, 70
- Shlomo Mansour, 86
- Ohad Yahalomi, 50
- Youssef Hamis Ziyadne, 54
- Oded Lifshitz, 84
- Tsahi Idan, 50
Source: Times of Israel
Fresh tensions spiralled after new Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya praised the October 7 massacres as “a source of pride for our people.”
Dashing long-term peace hopes, Al-Hayya – who replaced slain terrorist kingpin Yahya Sinwar – also vowed violence would continue until Israel was destroyed.
In a live 17 min speech from Qatari capital, Doha he said: “The security and military miracle and accomplishment of October 7, carried by the Elite forces of the Al-Qassam, will remain a source of pride for our people and our resistance and it will be passed down from generation to generation.
“Our people will expel the occupation from our land and from Jerusalem at the earliest time possible.”
The Hamas-run civil defence agency claimed that at least 73 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire agreement was announced.
The agency’s spokesman Mahmoud Basal said: “Since the moment the ceasefire agreement was announced the Israeli occupation forces have killed 73 martyrs, including 20 children and 25 women, and more than 230 wounded.
“The Israeli occupation forces are still practicing the bombing policy until now.”
Israel disputes casualty figures coming from Hamas-run agencies in Gaza.
Speaking at a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday.
He added that negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps to implement the agreement.
The PM’s office previously halted some celebrations when they said some issues are still “unresolved”.
Outgoing US president Joe Biden seconded the ceasefire and hostage deal in a speech from the White House.
He said: “This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”
He announced at a press briefing: “My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done.”
His successor, Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday was among the first to confirm a hostage deal had been reached as he posted on Truth Social.
He said: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”
Trump later wrote: “I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
THREE-PHASE AGREEMENT
The ceasefire is built around a three-phase plan aiming to put an end to the conflict in the Middle East.
The first phase involves a complete six-week ceasefire that includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from central Gaza.
It will focus on the release of 33 hostages, including women, children, and the elderly, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The hostages released in the initial 42 days are reportedly those in critical condition – including one-year-old Kfir Bibas.
The next to be freed will be female civilians and female soldiers before finally the remaining civilian men, Channel 12 reports.
Humanitarian aid is expected to flood the region, with 600 trucks of supplies entering Gaza daily.
An end to the war is the goal of the second stage as the temporary ceasefire is set to become permanent.
The second phase will see Hamas release the remaining hostages, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for further prisoner releases and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Over 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners are set to be freed – including at least 250 terrorists – in return for the hostages, Times of Israel reports.
In the third and final phase, the bodies of hostages who did not survive captivity will be returned to their families.
In exchange, Gaza would receive a three- to five-year reconstruction plan overseen by international authorities.
What happened on October 7?
ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in the nation’s history.
Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing over 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly.
The coordinated assault saw heavily armed fighters infiltrate Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Innocent families were slaughtered in their homes, and graphic footage of the atrocities spread across social media, leaving the world in shock.
The massacre triggered a swift and massive retaliatory response from Israel, escalating into a full-scale war.
The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 15 months of devastation that followed.