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Cease-Fire Agreement Faces Last-Minute Hurdles Amid Renewed Israeli-Hamas Tensions

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Cease-Fire Agreement Faces Last-Minute Hurdles Amid Renewed Israeli-Hamas Tensions

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

Efforts to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas hit unexpected delays on Thursday as disagreements over key terms held up an anticipated vote by Israel’s cabinet. According to a report  in The New York Times, the proposed deal had raised hopes of ending the 15-month conflict in Gaza, but last-minute disputes threatened to stall progress.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that cabinet ministers were unlikely to meet before Friday to ratify the agreement, citing unresolved disagreements with Hamas. The delay sparked fears of further postponements in implementing the deal, which mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States had brokered and announced on Wednesday.

The New York Times reported that the Biden administration remained engaged, with U.S. officials working closely with Israeli representatives and mediators to finalize the agreement’s details. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken described the cease-fire as a moment of “historic possibility” for the region. Despite the obstacles, Mr. Blinken expressed confidence, stating, “I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday.”

The proposed agreement centers on a 42-day truce, coupled with an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. According to the information provided in The New York Times report, mediators hope this arrangement could pave the way for a broader resolution to the conflict. The war began with a Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 in which 1,200 Israelis and others were brutally massacred and which resulted in 250 being taken captive by Hamas.  In response, Israel launched a military campaign to dismantle the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.

On Thursday, Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of attempting to renegotiate elements of the deal. Omer Dostri, the prime minister’s spokesman, pointed to disagreements over the deployment of Israeli troops along Gaza’s border with Egypt and Hamas’s insistence on releasing prisoners deemed “unacceptable” to Israel. “There isn’t any deal at the moment,” Dostri said in a message reported by The New York Times. “Therefore, there’s no cabinet meeting.”

While a senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, reiterated the group’s commitment to the deal, Hamas representatives did not immediately address questions about the specific disputes. In Gaza, reports of ongoing Israeli airstrikes drew attention to the fragility of the situation. According to the Gazan health ministry, more than 80 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours. The New York Times noted that the health ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties.

In Israel, the cease-fire has faced criticism from the right-wing coalition within Netanyahu’s government, with some opposing any agreement that stops short of Hamas’s total defeat. However, according to The New York Times, the deal is expected to pass the cabinet vote even without support from the coalition’s two far-right parties, which lack a majority.

Israel National News reported on Thursday that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to deliver a “significant statement” regarding the hostage deal.

Those close to the minister claimed that he intends to resign from the goverment amid the government’s approval of the deal. Natan Eshel, who is close to Prime Minister Netanyahu, claimed that Ben-Gvir will resign.

Later in the evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Religious Zionist Party chairman Minister Bezalele Smotrich, the INN report added.

The two will discuss Smotrich’s demand to renew the war after the deal is completed, as well as to significantly change the way it is being handled, including stopping humanitarian aid.

Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amihai Chikli announced on Thursday that he will also resign from the government if Israel will have to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border as part of the deal.

In a bold move that could reshape Israel’s political landscape, Zehut Party Chairman and former Knesset Member Moshe Feiglin declared on Thursday that his party will run in the next elections, as was reported by INN.  Speaking at a conference in Petah Tikva, Feiglin delivered a scathing critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, framing his party as a visionary alternative to the current government’s policies.

Feiglin’s speech revolved around a critique of Israel’s response to the events following October 7, 2023. Referring to the prolonged conflict with Hamas and its aftermath, he drew a stark contrast between what he described as the bravery of Israeli soldiers and the perceived failures of the country’s leadership.

“Fifteen months after the disaster of October 7th, an unimaginable gap has come out between the generation of heroism that is executing the war and the generation of defeat that’s leading it,” Feiglin declared, as was noted in the INN report.  His reference to Netanyahu’s promises of “total victory” turned sharply critical as he accused the prime minister of leading the country toward “another round of hostage deals and defeat.” Feiglin called for collective resistance, stating, “We all stand together and tell Netanyahu—no more!”

Feiglin’s speech also outlined his party’s uncompromising vision for Israel’s future. “There is no victory without occupation, expulsion, and settlement,” he asserted, reflecting Zehut’s hardline stance on territorial and security issues. Feiglin traced his opposition to the Oslo Accords, positioning his party as a steadfast opponent of concessions to the Palestinians. “Thirty years ago, we stood at the head of the struggle against the Oslo Accords. Today, after we saw the deadly consequences, we come to finish the job,” he said, signaling a return to policies of aggressive territorial control and settlement expansion.

Feiglin’s announcement also included a broader appeal to Israel’s political factions and movements. According to the INN report, he urged all parties to coalesce around a shared platform to forge what he described as “national leadership with a vision.” His call for unity reflects an effort to attract like-minded voters and create a coalition that could challenge Netanyahu’s dominance and appeal to those dissatisfied with the current government.

The reentry of Zehut into the electoral field could have significant implications for Israel’s political dynamics. Known for its libertarian policies combined with a strong nationalist agenda, the party appeals to a niche but passionate voter base. Feiglin’s emphasis on ideological clarity and his criticism of Israel’s current leadership could resonate with citizens disillusioned by the handling of the conflict and the perceived lack of decisive action.

INN also reported that the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas has been hailed as a victory by the Houthi rebel group, which has vowed continued aggression against Israel should the agreement falter. According to a report by Reuters, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi celebrated the agreement as a failure of Israel’s objectives and declared readiness to resume military support for Hamas if hostilities resume.

In a televised statement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi asserted that Israel had failed in its attempts to achieve its declared goals in Gaza, particularly the recovery of Israeli prisoners. “The Israeli enemy failed to achieve its declared and clear goals, and failed miserably to recover its prisoners without an exchange deal,” al-Houthi stated, according to the INN report. The rebel leader positioned the cease-fire as evidence of Israel’s inability to secure unilateral concessions, reinforcing the Houthis’ alignment with Hamas and their broader opposition to Israel.

Al-Houthi emphasized that the group is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza during the days leading up to the cease-fire’s implementation, which is set to begin Sunday. “If the Israeli massacres continue, we will continue our operations,” he warned. The INN report indicated that the Houthis have pledged military support to Hamas, stating, “At any stage in which the aggression retreats from the agreement, we will be ready to provide military support to our Palestinian brothers.” These statements highlight the potential for continued violence in the region, even amid efforts to de-escalate the conflict.

The cease-fire agreement, brokered with international mediation, will unfold in three phases. The initial 42-day phase will see Hamas gradually release 33 of the 98 hostages currently held in Gaza. In return, Israel is expected to release approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals convicted of murder. The INN report said that according to the terms of the agreement, further negotiations will determine the details of the subsequent phases. If successfully implemented, all remaining hostages in Gaza are expected to be freed by the end of the process.

This deal, though seen as a significant step toward peace, has drawn criticism for the release of individuals convicted of serious crimes. The exchange ratio—33 hostages for 1,000 prisoners—has sparked debate over the long-term implications for Israel’s security and the precedent it may set for future conflicts.

The Houthi declaration draws attention to the broader regional dimensions of the Israeli-Hamas conflict. As a group that is bankrolled by Iran, the Houthis’ alignment with Hamas reflects a larger geopolitical struggle involving multiple actors across the Middle East. The Houthis’ willingness to escalate military actions against Israel in solidarity with Hamas adds another layer of complexity to the cease-fire’s fragile framework.

Despite the announcement of the cease-fire, the Houthis’ rhetoric and threats signal that the path to sustained peace remains uncertain.

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