Ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas reached , Israeli PM Netanyahu announces - To be ratified by the Israeli Cabinet- US expects deal to be implemented by sunday and hostages released
Israel hammers Hostage release deal with Hamas but strikes Gaza with a rocket even as the deal is to be approved by the cabinet
By Ashe N Ayers. New York Jan 17, 2025.
Israel and the militant outfit Hamas, perpetrators of the October 07 2023 heinous attacks that killed 1200 Israeli soldiers. And the retaliatory strikes by Israel left hundreds of thousands of dead in Gaza without life support, have finally reached a settlement to ceasefire and release the remaining 140 hostages' captivity in Gaza.
The deal was hammered out Friday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an announcement through a press statement.
The deal will be sent to Israel's security Cabinet for approval later in the day and then to the full Cabinet for approval, he said in a statement, although it was not clear when the full Cabinet would meet. Netanyahu said his negotiating team informed him of the agreement.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the negotiating team and all those who assisted," the statement said. The hostages' families have been updated, and preparations will be made to receive them when they return to Israel, the statement said.
Gaza journalist was hopeful about ceasefire a day before his death
Ahmed Abu Al-Roos took to his Instagram account Tuesday, excited about a potential ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. “Today, the deal will take place, God willing, and the announcement of the cease-fire will happen today or tomorrow; only God knows,” Al-Roos said.
The next day, he and four other people were killed in an airstrike in Nuseirat Camp that hit the vehicle he was in — a day before the ceasefire agreement was officially announced, NBC news reported.
A local activist and journalist, Al-Roos had posted hundreds of videos since Oct. 7, 2023, detailing the living conditions in Gaza and documenting daily tragedies alongside more hopeful videos with kids playing. Others showed him providing clothing and aid to those in need and interviewing fellow Palestinians.
In a recorded will his loved ones shared on Instagram after his death, Al-Roos remarked on his life: “Maybe you have seen this video and you don’t believe the news of martyrdom, but I am now so comfortable and happy, very content with what I have done in Gaza.”
“I will be happy with you, and even when I am in the tomb, I will feel joy if everyone remembers me fondly and mentions me with good.”
As the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas looms, questions remain about whether it will hold and what will happen to ongoing investigations into conduct during the war.
An arrest warrant has been issued against Israeli prime minister Netanyahu for “ war Crimes” by the International Court of Justice but it cannot be executed unless israel is a party to the Rome Declaration while the state of Palestine is.
The United States and Israel have long accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields in the Gaza Strip. However, there are also allegations that Israeli soldiers have used civilians as shields during battles.
Airstrikes kill dozens of Gazans after ceasefire deal is announced
NBC News recorded Palestinians grieving over the bodies of loved ones killed by Israeli airstrikes in the hours after the ceasefire deal was announced. Dozens of civilians, including many children, were reportedly killed in the attacks.
3 anti-deal protesters arrested in Jerusalem, Israeli police say
Three people were arrested in Jerusalem and taken for questioning during a protest against the ceasefire deal, Israeli police said. Police said several protests and marches took place across Jerusalem today and that one that began hours ago blocked off the Begin Highway. Crowds blocked roadways to emergency and civilian vehicles, and, at one point, a fire was set in the middle of a roadway, police said.
"The State of Israel is a democratic state of law, and freedom of protest must exist alongside preserving the freedom of movement of the many, obedience to the law, and maintaining public peace and security," police said in a statement.
Three people were arrested in connection with disturbing the peace and damaging vehicles during the protest. One person was arrested in connection with pepper-spraying protesters, police said.
Relatives of Israeli hostages and their supporters blocked a road in Tel Aviv, calling for a quicker release plan for those held by Hamas. They also appealed directly to President-elect Donald Trump to intervene.
Analysis: There are no celebrations in Israel. Most just want to move on.
Reports from Jerusalem reaching New York said that In Israel, there is a feeling of melancholy. There is some relief that this tremendously dark period could be coming to an end, and people want to put the war behind them. But this has been a traumatic experience. This is a hostage deal after all, and there’s not much to celebrate in that.
Yes, some hostages will be returning home, but no one knows what condition they will be in. And many bodies will be coming back, as well, including those of children and elderly people. There are also deep divisions in Israeli society, and this war has brought them to the surface.
The far right wants Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue the war, and it supports the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. Those on the far-right advocate for Israeli settlers to return to Gaza, and they believe Netanyahu is caving in to pressure and not going far enough.
There are those on the left who were out on the streets protesting against Netanyahu even before the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
Ben-Gvir says he will pull his party from coalition government if deal goes through
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, announced today that he will pull his party from Netanyahu's government over the ceasefire deal that would lead to the release of remaining hostages in Gaza.
He expressed his discontent over the pending deal Tuesday on X, calling on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in threatening to quit to stop the deal. Now, as it appears the agreement is in its final stages, Ben-Gvir has escalated to threatening his party's cooperation with Netanyahu.
Otzma Yehudit is a right-wing party led Ben-Gvir who joined with Netanyahu to form a government. It appears that Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid opposition party, has put his support behind Netanyahu to offset Ben-Gvir's threat.
"I say to Benjamin Netanyahu, don’t be afraid or intimidated, you will get every safety net you need to make the hostage deal," Lapid wrote on X today. "This is more important than any disagreement we’ve ever had."
Ben-Gvir has faced repeated criticism over his comments about the war, including his call for Israelis to repopulate Gaza after Israel withdrew roughly 20 years ago.Share
Israeli group holds demonstration against ceasefire deal
A group representing the families of some soldiers killed fighting in Gaza held a demonstration today against the ceasefire deal.
The Gvura Forum opposes the deal, saying that it won’t lead to Hamas’ destruction and that it will free Palestinians convicted of deadly crimes against Israelis. It could also leave some Israeli hostages behind in Gaza if it collapses, the group said, the Associated Press reported from Jerusalem.
The group set up rows of mock coffins draped in the Israeli flag in Jerusalem to symbolize the price Israel will pay if it agrees to the deal.
“It’s a very dangerous deal,” said Yehoshua Shani, whose son Ori Mordehai Shani was killed in battle in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. He said he believed the incoming Trump administration could exert more pressure on Hamas and secure better terms.
Many Israelis support a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza. But some families of fallen soldiers and hostages oppose any agreement that they perceive grants too many concessions to Hamas.
White House 'fully' expects deal to begin Sunday, Kirby says
The Biden administration believes that the disagreements between Israel and Hamas will be resolved as the two parties continue to negotiate final details of the deal, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said.
"This is not an issue that is going to derail the whole implementation of the deal," he said. "And as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken rightly said, we fully expect and we're confident that we're going to be able to get this deal in place by Sunday.”
Though news broke yesterday that a deal had been reached, Israel cautioned that it was not finalized and accused Hamas of trying to extort last-minute demands. Hamas denied the allegations, blaming Israel's leaders.
Two American hostages are expected to be released in the first phase of the deal, in which women, children, the elderly and the wounded are set to be freed from Gaza. Kirby could not give an exact date as to when they were going to be let go.
War has left Gaza population completely dependent on aid, WFP says
The World Food Program said it will need upward of $300 million to sustain Gaza's most urgent needs in the next six months, as the war has destroyed the enclave's economy and infrastructure.
"WFP calls on all parties to do what is in their power to halt any further fighting and ensure safe humanitarian access — the war has left more than 2 million people fully dependent on food assistance, homeless, and without any income," the organization said.
Current stock allows the WFP to assist 1 million people, only half of Gaza's population, over the next three months. The organization said it will need all agencies to come together during the ceasefire to provide aid, including the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency, which Israel has banned.
"We need all border crossings open and functioning reliably," the WFP said. "We also need humanitarian teams to be able to move freely and safely across Gaza to reach those in need."
Source : NBC news and AP.
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