Israel retains the right to resume the war in Gaza if talks on future arrangements prove fruitless, the country’s prime minister said on the eve of a ceasefire coming into force.
Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has the backing of the United States to take further military action against the Palestinian militant group Hamas should talks collapse at the next stage.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli politicians approved the carefully negotiated ceasefire deal that is set to bring 15 months of brutal conflict to a halt.
The agreement involves Netanyahu’s government freeing thousands of imprisoned Palestinians and Hamas releasing dozens of hostages kidnapped during the organization’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
That assault, which killed around 1,200 people, was the catalyst for the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, which has led to nearly 47,000 deaths, according to territory’s health ministry.
The six-week-long first stage of the ceasefire set to come into force at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Saturday, with the first three Israeli hostages – all female - expected to be released during the day. Humanitarian aid to Gaza is also set to be ramped up significantly.
Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was still waiting for a list of names of the hostages due to be released.
In a video statement, he said that he has the backing of the outgoing and incoming American administration to restart military operations if further talks, aimed at building a longer-term peace, do not lead to an agreement.
“If we must return to fighting, we will do that in new, forceful ways,” Netanyahu said.
“President [Donald] Trump and President [Joe] Biden have given full backing to Israel's right to return to combat if Israel concludes that negotiations on Phase B are futile.”
Israeli forces have kept attacking targets in Gaza since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday.
Medical personnel on the ground said five people were killed in an airstrike west of the city of Khan Younis on Saturday, the Reuters news agency reported. Palestinian authorities believe that at least 123 people have died in Israeli attacks since the agreement was made public.
Thirty detained Palestinian are expected be released for each Israeli hostage Hamas releases on Sunday.
Under the terms of the first stage of the three-phase ceasefire, nearly 2,000 Palestinians will be freed in exchange for 33 hostages over a period of six weeks.
Details of the second and third phases are yet to worked out, with negotiations set to start 16 days into the initial six-week ceasefire.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli politicians approved the carefully negotiated ceasefire deal that is set to bring 15 months of brutal conflict to a halt.
The agreement involves Netanyahu’s government freeing thousands of imprisoned Palestinians and Hamas releasing dozens of hostages kidnapped during the organization’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
That assault, which killed around 1,200 people, was the catalyst for the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, which has led to nearly 47,000 deaths, according to territory’s health ministry.
The six-week-long first stage of the ceasefire set to come into force at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Saturday, with the first three Israeli hostages – all female - expected to be released during the day. Humanitarian aid to Gaza is also set to be ramped up significantly.
Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was still waiting for a list of names of the hostages due to be released.
In a video statement, he said that he has the backing of the outgoing and incoming American administration to restart military operations if further talks, aimed at building a longer-term peace, do not lead to an agreement.
“If we must return to fighting, we will do that in new, forceful ways,” Netanyahu said.
“President [Donald] Trump and President [Joe] Biden have given full backing to Israel's right to return to combat if Israel concludes that negotiations on Phase B are futile.”
Israeli attacks on Gaza continue
Israeli forces have kept attacking targets in Gaza since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday.
Medical personnel on the ground said five people were killed in an airstrike west of the city of Khan Younis on Saturday, the Reuters news agency reported. Palestinian authorities believe that at least 123 people have died in Israeli attacks since the agreement was made public.
Thirty detained Palestinian are expected be released for each Israeli hostage Hamas releases on Sunday.
Under the terms of the first stage of the three-phase ceasefire, nearly 2,000 Palestinians will be freed in exchange for 33 hostages over a period of six weeks.
Details of the second and third phases are yet to worked out, with negotiations set to start 16 days into the initial six-week ceasefire.
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