Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas on Thursday of withdrawing from a ceasefire agreement to release hostages and end the more than year-long fighting.
Netanyahu’s office said Thursday that his cabinet will not meet to approve the Gaza ceasefire until Hamas withdraws from what it called a “last-minute crisis.”
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, September 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Netanyahu’s office, without elaborating, accused Hamas of trying to renege on part of the agreement in an effort to “extort last-minute concessions.”
The Israeli cabinet was expected to ratify the deal on Thursday.
President Biden joined Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a press conference on Wednesday announcing the deal would be rolled out in three phases.
ISRAEL-HAMAS ceasefire, hostage release deal reached: ‘Americans will be part of that’
Biden said the first phase will last six weeks and “include a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and the elderly and the I’m proud that Americans will be part of the hostage release and also phase one. And the Vice President and I can’t wait to welcome them home,” he said.
In return, Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians “can also return to their neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, and a wave of humanitarian aid to Gaza will begin.”
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Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a development story. Check back for updates.
