Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas was trying to back out of certain parts of the agreement made with mediators and Israel to pressure for last-minute concessions.
“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” the statement said.
The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to convene Thursday to ratify the ceasefire agreement declared on Wednesday. The ceasefire is set to commence on Sunday.
Officials involved in the matter told ABC News the Israeli negotiating team is still in Doha, Qatar, where negotiations have been held.
Hamas responded, “The organization is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators.”
Since the ceasefire announcement, the IDF has reportedly taken the lives of at least 71 Palestinians in airstrikes throughout Gaza, with 61 casualties in Gaza City alone, as per the Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson on Thursday. The victims include 19 children and 24 women, with over 200 individuals sustaining injuries.
Many Palestinian journalists and experts believe that Israel will escalate airstrikes on Gaza in the days leading up to the implementation of the deal.
-ABC News Bruno Nota and Jordana Miller
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