
Amid the major breakthrough in the middle-east which saw Israel and Hamas reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that the agreement with Hamas is still not complete as final details are still being worked out. Notably, Netanyahu has not said explicitly whether he accepts the deal announced hours earlier by Qatar's prime minister and President Joe Biden.
Will issue formal statement only after...: Netanyahu
In a statement, Netanyahu said that he would issue a formal response once "the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed".
Netanyahu's statement comes after Qatar and the US in an announcement said that the parties had reached an agreement in Gaza, pausing the 15-month-long war and clearing way for dozens of hostages to go home. Notably, the conflict had destabilised the region and sparked protests around the world.
The ceasefire announcement followed cheers from Palestinians who took to the streets in Gaza. Mahmoud Wadi, a local, said, "No one can feel the feeling that we are experiencing now, an indescribable, indescribable feeling, as he joined a chanting crowd.
The Israel-Hamas war that broke out in October 2023 saw more than 46,000 Palestinians dead. Earlier, militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. Almost 100 hostages, still held in Gaza, are believed to be dead.
US President Joe Biden announces the ceasefire
Announcing the cessation of hostilities in Gaza, US President Joe Biden said, "Today (Wednesday), after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal."
He added, "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity."
President-elect Donald Trump also wasted no time in taking the credit for the deal as he said, "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."
Also Read | Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal likely to take effect from January 19: Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs