Ahead of the planned implementation of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the process cannot move forward until Hamas provides the agreed list of hostages to be released.
In a statement shared by the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel on X, Netanyahu said, “We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Hamas is solely responsible.”
The Israeli government approved the ceasefire and hostage release deal in a 24-8 vote on Saturday, following its earlier endorsement by the Israeli security cabinet on Friday. The deal, signed by Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Doha, was mediated by the United States and Qatar. It aims to end the 15-month-long war in Gaza that began with Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.
Under the agreement, 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released in the first phase of the deal. Families of the hostages have been notified, although Israel has not yet received confirmation of how many are alive. A full status report on the hostages is expected seven days into the ceasefire, with the identities of those to be freed disclosed 24 hours before their release.
Beyond the 33 hostages set for release in the initial phase, Hamas is believed to be holding 65 more hostages, including the bodies of at least 36 confirmed dead. Subsequent phases of negotiations will address the release of the remaining hostages, the cessation of hostilities, and Gaza’s reconstruction.
The deal has faced significant pressure from Netanyahu’s far-right coalition allies, who oppose ending the conflict. Meanwhile, families of the remaining hostages have expressed fears that the second phase of the agreement may never materialize, leaving their loved ones in captivity indefinitely.
