OAN Staff James Myers
8:35am – Thursday, January 16, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is on hold due to a “last-minute crisis.” This comes as the Jewish state shared a new video in which the terrorist organization boasts of Israel's “pride.” October 7thth terrorist attack.
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This comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed Thursday's cabinet vote on approving the historic deal, accusing Hamas of a “last-minute blackmail attempt”.
“Israel will not set dates for cabinet and government meetings until the mediator announces that Hamas has approved all details of the agreement,” the prime minister's office said.
The details included Hamas' opposition to the part of the agreement that gave Israel the right to refuse the release of Palestinian prisoners accused of murder.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that Hamas “demands that the identities of the terrorists to be released be identified” and that they would stick to previous agreements.
However, a senior Hamas official denied the claims and said the terrorist group remained “adherent” to the historic agreement announced on Wednesday.
Israel responded to these claims on Thursday by sharing a video of Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya responding to the agreement by expressing continued involvement in the terrorism that led to the October 7 attack. did.th attack.
“What happened on October 7, and the miraculous military and security achievements of the elite Qassam Brigades, will continue to be a source of national pride,” al-Haya said in the speech, according to a translated video shared by Israeli diplomat David Saranga. It will be the source of.”
“This will strike at the hearts of our enemies and, Allah willing, will lead to the restoration of all our rights,” he said, calling Israel “a genocidal war, a Nazi crime and an act of inhumanity.” criticized.
“We will never forget or forgive those who took part in this genocide… Justice will be given to these criminals, even if it is delayed,” he reportedly said.
“Our enemies will never see for a moment our weakness or surrender.”
Meanwhile, Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday for further talks on the deal, which has been in indirect negotiations for almost a year, as Thursday's cabinet decision has been delayed. .
Ongoing talks this week led to reports that the terrorist group had accepted a draft cease-fire agreement that included the release of 33 hostages.
The deal requires approval from Israel's cabinet and government and, if implemented, would go into effect on Sunday, a day before President-elect Donald Trump takes back the White House.
Additionally, the plan outlines an initial six-week ceasefire with a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
This includes a surge in humanitarian aid to help people living within the torn Gaza Strip.
Qatar, which is acting as a mediator in the talks, earlier claimed that Israel and Hamas were “the closest” to reaching an agreement yet.
The plan is a three-phase agreement that would exchange 33 hostages and possibly hundreds of Palestinian prisoners over six weeks.
Although the agreement does not include a written guarantee that the ceasefire will continue into the second phase, the three mediators have given verbal assurances to Hamas that negotiations will continue as planned until an agreement is reached.
The second phase involves Hamas releasing the remaining hostages (mainly male soldiers) in exchange for further prisoners and a “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The third phase would include the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for a three- to five-year plan to rebuild war-torn Gaza.
Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly warned Hamas that if the hostages are not released, “you will pay a price in hell.”
Hamas still holds about 100 people hostage in Gaza after the 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, including seven Americans.
But war officials say almost half of them may have died.
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