Israeli Strikes In Gaza Kill 86 Since Ceasefire Announcement, Netanyahu Faces Backlash For Truce Deal

<p>At least 86 people were killed and around 258 people were injured in the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire deal was announced. After weeks of negotiations in Doha, Qatar the ceasefire agreement was announced on Wednesday. Immediately after the ceasefire announcement, the daily death toll in the period is the highest it has been in over a week.</p>
<p>The ceasefire deal would bring a pause to the fighting between the Israeli Defence Forces and the militant group Hamas.</p>
<p>The agreement comes shortly after Qatar&rsquo;s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who was mediating the talks, met separately with Hamas and Israeli delegations to resolve the dispute.</p>
<p>On Thursday, Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of attempting to backtrack on parts of the deal, an allegation that Hamas denied and said in a statement that “The organisation is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators”, as per ABC News.</p>
<p>First of the three ceasefire phases is set to go into force on Sunday, though it is still pending approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet. According to ABC News, the second phase will begin after 42 days if the first is successful.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has told Netanyahu not to be &ldquo;afraid or intimidated,&rdquo; saying the priority is to implement a ceasefire and hostage release deal. &ldquo;I say to Benjamin Netanyahu, don&rsquo;t be afraid or intimidated, you will get every safety net you need to make the hostage deal. This is more important than any disagreement we&rsquo;ve ever had,&rdquo; Lapid said in a post on X on Thursday.</p>
<p><strong>Ben-Gvir Threatens To Quit</strong></p>
<p>Lapid&rsquo;s comment came after, Israel’s hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday he would resign from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government if it signs the ceasefire deal in Gaza, which he has strongly opposed.</p>
<p>According to a Reuters report, the cabinet was expected to vote to ratify the agreement on Friday, but there has been no confirmation from the prime minister’s office.</p>
<p>”The deal that is taking shape is a reckless deal,” Ben-Gvir said in a televised statement, saying it would “erase the achievements of the war” by releasing hundreds of Palestinian militants and withdrawing from strategic areas in Gaza, leaving Hamas undefeated.</p>
<p>”If this irresponsible deal is approved and implemented, we the members of Jewish Power will submit letters of resignation to the prime minister,” he said, adding that he would, nonetheless, not seek to bring down the government, as per Reuters.</p>
<p><strong>Ceasefire Should Begin As Planned Says US</strong></p>
<p>Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday, that the ceasefire should begin on Sunday as planned, despite the need for negotiators to tie up a “loose end” at the last minute.</p>
<p>”It’s not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end,” Blinken told a press conference in Washington, as per Reuters. “We’re tying up that loose end as we speak.”</p>
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