Gaza ceasefire deal latest: Netanyahu claims Hamas backtracking over prisoner releases in ceasefire deal
Key points
- Hamas and Israel agree ceasefire deal to pause 15-month-long Gaza warNetanyahu claims Hamas has backtracked on understanding of ceasefire dealBiden takes credit for peace deal in farewell speech after Trump claimIsraeli strikes in Gaza after ceasefire deal announcement kill 32Explained: What’s in the agreement?Analysis: An end to this long war is finally in sightAnalysis: Biden won’t give him credit – but deal wouldn’t have happened without TrumpWatch:Celebrations break out in GazaLive reporting by Samuel Osborne
02:47:15 Israeli strikes in Gaza after ceasefire deal announcement kill 32
Heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza following the announcement of a ceasefire deal has killed at least 32 people, medics reported.
Earlier we reported shelling in northern Gaza had killed at least 12 (see 10.26pm post), with videos showing children among the wounded.
Strikes continued into Thursday morning, flattening houses in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza and in northern Gaza, local residents said.
Israel’s military has not commented on the strikes and there have been no reports of Hamas attacks on Israel after the ceasefire was announced.
A Palestinian official close to the ceasefire negotiations told Reuters mediators were seeking to persuade both sides to suspend hostilities ahead of the ceasefire – if agreed – going into effect on Sunday.
02:26:38 Netanyahu claims Hamas has backtracked on understanding of ceasefire deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed Hamas has backtracked on an earlier understanding of the ceasefire agreement.
In a statement he said the group was objecting to part of the agreement which would give Israel the ability to veto the release of certain Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas was trying to dictate which Palestinian prisoners would be released, he said.
“Among other things – contrary to a specific clause that grants Israel the veto power over the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terrorism, Hamas is demanding to dictate the identities of these terrorists,” the statement said.
Mr Netanyahu said he told Israeli negotiators to stand firm on the earlier agreement.
Hamas is yet to respond to Mr Netanyahu’s statement.
Any deal will need to be approved by Mr Netanyahu’s security cabinet and then his government.
01:41:27 Biden takes credit for Middle East peace deal in farewell speech
US President Joe Biden took credit for the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in his farewell address to the nation.
“After eight months of non-stop negotiation my administration, by my administration, a ceasefire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas,” he said.
“This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and it will be largely implemented by the incoming administration.
“That’s why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that’s how it should be – working together as Americans.”
Trump had claimed credit
Mr Biden made the remarks after Donald Trump claimed credit for the breakthrough in negotiations.
The president-elect has warned there would be “hell to pay” if a deal was not made by the time he assumes office on Monday.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signalled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” he said in a post on social media.
01:02:41 Biden delivering farewell address
US President Joe Biden is delivering his farewell address to the nation and he is likely to mention the ceasefire.
We’ll bring you any remarks he makes about the ceasefire here.
You can watch Mr Biden’s speech live in the link below:
00:32:59 Netanyahu says ceasefire deal is still not complete
Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ceasefire agreement is still not complete and the final deals are being worked out.
The Israeli prime minister has not explicitly said whether he accepts the deal, which was announced by US President Joe Biden and Qatar’s prime minister.
In a statement he said he would only issue a formal response “after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed.”
23:59:01 Held in captivity: Faces of hostages who still haven’t returned home to Israel
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, 94 of the 251 people taken hostage during the attack on 7 October 2023 remain in Gaza.
It’s not known how many have died in captivity. In some cases, deaths have been reported, but their bodies have not been returned home.
Families are still waiting desperately for news of their loved ones.
Find out more about those still missing here…
23:45:01 Timeline of war
After months of conflict and tens of thousands of deaths, hostilities will finally cease between Israel and Hamas.
Sky News looks back at what has happened since the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023.
Read here…
23:15:01 Red Cross ready to facilitate hostage and detainee release
The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the aid organisation stands ready to support the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.
The ICRC previously helped to facilitate the release of 109 hostages and 154 detainees.
Mirjana Spoljaric said the group is also prepared to “massively scale up” its humanitarian response.
But this will require “continuous effort” from both sides to ensure its staff can carry our their work.
“There are no words to describe the level of suffering that Palestinians and Israelis are enduring on a daily basis.
“This nightmare has gone on for far too long. The suffering must end. Civilians in Gaza need protection and humanitarian aid. The hostages need to come home.
“This is only possible with political commitment from all sides to put humanity first and respect the rules of war.”
She added: “The coming days are critical and we are counting on the parties to hold to their commitments. While the agreement is welcome, it is not the end. There are immense humanitarian needs that must be addressed, which will take months, if not years.”
23:00:01 Analysis: Biden won’t give him credit – but deal wouldn’t have happened without Trump
By Mark Stone, US correspondent
President Joe Biden wasn’t amused by a central question surrounding this ceasefire deal.
“Is that a joke?” he said as he was asked which US president, he or Donald Trump, deserves credit for getting the ceasefire deal over the line. He couldn’t give Trump an ounce of credit.
It was an obvious question given that Trump had, hours earlier, claimed almost total credit for the ceasefire.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November…” he said in a social media statement.
Beyond the other central questions – whether the deal will hold and whether it can bring a lasting peace – it’s important to ask “why now”?
After all, the deal that’s now been agreed is pretty much word-for-word the same deal proposed by President Biden back in May last year. So what’s changed?
22:46:27 Former Israeli PM expresses ‘fear and doubt’ over deal
A former Israeli prime minister has expressed fear and doubt over the ceasefire deal.
“There is not an agreement about the end of the war,” Ehud Olmert told The World with Yalda Hakim.
He pointed out that the deal stipulates a 42-day temporary ceasefire and further negotiation.
“There is joy, there is a degree of relief… and yet at the same time there is a very strong feeling of doubt and of fear that it will end with this phase and we will not see the others.”
Asked if he is optimistic, he says he is “far from being certain”.
“The fundamental issue” is that Israeli and Palestinian leaders are not prepared to put together a “political horizon”, namely a two-state solution, he says.