The Israeli security cabinet is due to meet this Friday, January 17 after finalizing the final details of an agreement for a truce in Gaza and the release of hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. The truce, announced Wednesday by Qatar and the United States, must take effect on Sunday January 19 if it is voted by the Israeli government. In a first phase of six weeks, it provides for the release of 33 hostages held in the Palestinian territory, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The definitive end of the war will be negotiated during this first phase.
Information to remember
⇒ Benyamin Netanyahu’s office confirms “an agreement on the release of hostages”
⇒ For Donald Trump, the truce in Gaza “would never have happened” without his team
⇒ Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir will leave the government if the “irresponsible” truce with Hamas is adopted
Netanyahu’s office confirms ‘agreement on hostage release’
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on the night of Thursday to Friday that it had “reached an agreement on the release of hostages” held in the Gaza Strip. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached for the release of the hostages,” his office said in a statement.
The prime minister’s office on Thursday accused Hamas of going back on key points of the agreement to extract last-minute concessions, which Hamas denied. “The Prime Minister ordered the political and security cabinet to meet tomorrow (this Friday morning). The government will then meet to approve the agreement,” declared Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. He added that the families of the hostages had been informed and preparations were being made to welcome them.
Gaza truce ‘would never have happened’ without his team, says Trump
US President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that the deal for a truce in Gaza and the release of hostages would never have been reached without pressure from him and his incoming administration. Four days before his inauguration for a second term, Donald Trump declared on the Dan Bongino Show, a conservative podcast, that the negotiations would never have succeeded without the pressure of his team, in particular that of the future envoy for the Middle East, Steve Wittkoff. “If we had not been involved in this agreement, it would never have happened,” assured Donald Trump. “We changed the course of things, and we changed it quickly, and frankly, it would be better if it was done before I was sworn in,” he added.
Antony Blinken ‘confident’ Gaza ceasefire will be implemented on Sunday
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken said Thursday that he was “confident” about the implementation of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, defending the policy of the United States vis-à-vis Israel during of a rowdy press conference. “I am confident and I expect that the implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday,” declared the Secretary of State during this farewell press conference, interrupted on several occasions by activist journalists critical of United States policies.
Antony Blinken said he and other officials from President Joe Biden’s administration, which ends Monday, were on the phone trying to resolve issues related to the ceasefire announced Wednesday by the Qatari mediator. “It’s not really surprising that in a process, in a negotiation, which has been this difficult, there are problems. We are in the process of resolving this problem as we speak,” declared Antony Blinken, without delivering details.
Israel: Ben Gvir says he will leave government if “irresponsible” truce with Hamas is adopted
Far-right Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir declared Thursday evening that he would resign from the government if it adopted the “irresponsible” truce agreement with Hamas, without leaving the coalition around Benyamin Netanyahu.
“If this irresponsible deal is approved and implemented, the Jewish Force party will no longer be part of the government,” Itamar Ben Gvir said at a press conference in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, “Jewish force under my leadership will not overthrow Benjamin Netanyahu and will not act with the left […] against the government,” he added. “For the release of the hostages, we must completely stop the humanitarian aid sent to Gaza,” he said. “Only on this condition, Hamas will release our hostages without endangering Israel’s security.”