'Ceasefire Deal Still Not Complete': Netanyahu's First Statement As Israel, Hamas Agree To Pause War in Gaza

Jerusalem: Israel and Hamas have been at war with each other since October 7, 2023 and the war has had cascading effects on the people of the affected nations. Thousands of people have lost their lives in the war with women and children making up for more than half the fatalities and so many are still held hostage. 

In a major development in the ongoing Gaza War, a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, has been reached and hostages will be released. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued his first statement on the ceasefire deal, calling it ‘incomplete’.

Israel, Hamas Ceasefire Deal: Netanyahu Issues First Statement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Wednesday that the ceasefire agreement with Hamas is still not complete and the final details are being worked out. Netanyahu has not said explicitly whether he accepts the deal announced hours earlier by Qatar's prime minister and President Joe Biden . In a statement, Netanyahu said he would only issue a formal response “after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed.”

Netanyahu's statement comes hours after the United States and Qatar announced the deal, which would pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of hostages to go home. The conflict has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.

Israel PM Thanks Trump, Biden For Their Assistance

Following the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office in a post on X wrote, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families." "The Prime Minister made it clear that he is committed to returning all of the hostages however he can and commended the US President-elect for his remarks that the US would work with Israel to ensure that Gaza will never be a haven for terrorism. The two decided to meet in Washington soon in order to discuss this and other important issues," the post added.

Netanyahu also thanked President Biden for his assistance in advancing the hostage deal. "Prime Minister Netanyahu then spoke with US President Joe Biden and thanked him as well for his assistance in advancing the hostages deal," the post said.

Ceasefire And Hostage Agreement Between Israel-Hamas: Key Points

What does the ceasefire and hostage agreement say? Here are the basics of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal that mediators say has been reached. Any deal still needs the approval of Israel's Cabinet. 

There are three phases.

Phase One starts Sunday, according to mediator Qatar. It should include a six-week halt to fighting and the opening of negotiations on ending the war. Thirty-three of the nearly 100 hostages should be released over the period, although it's not clear if all are alive. They include women, older adults and wounded people.

Mediator the United States says this first phase also includes a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza. That will allow many displaced Palestinians to return to their communities. Humanitarian assistance would surge, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza each day. Final details still being worked out include the list of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be freed.

Phase Two is harder. Negotiations for this phase are to begin on Day 16 of the ceasefire. The phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers. Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. But Israel has said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas' military and political capabilities are eliminated. And Hamas says it will not hand over the last hostages until Israel removes all troops.

Phase Three calls for the return of the bodies of remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which is largely devastated and faces decades of rebuilding. 

US President-Elect Trump Announces Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal

US President-elect Donald Trump announced on January 15 that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal, with the hostages held in Gaza set to be released shortly. Trump shared the news on his Truth Social platform, posting: "WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!"

Trump added that “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”

“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!,” Trump wrote.

Qatar PM on Ceasefire Agreement Between Nations

Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on late Wednesday night made it official that a cease-fire agreement has been reached between Isreal and Hamas and on the release of detainees in Gaza. The implementation of the agreement will begin on Sunday, he said in a media briefing. ‘Wings of Freedom’ is the name given to the IDF’s preparations for the return of the hostages.

Israel Hamas War

Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.

The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.

More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a week-long truce in November 2023. The US, along with Egypt and Qatar, have brokered months of indirect talks between the bitter enemies that finally culminated in this latest deal. It comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November, after more than a year of conflict linked to the war in the Gaza.

(Inputs from AP)