At least 70 killed in Gaza as Israel launches strikes following ceasefire agreement, residents report.
At least 70 people in Gaza were killed overnight on Thursday by Israeli airstrikes, according to residents and local authorities. The strikes came just hours after a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal was announced, aiming to end 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
The agreement, brokered on Wednesday through mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, seeks to halt a conflict that has ravaged Gaza and escalated tensions across the Middle East.
The ceasefire, set to begin Sunday, includes an initial six-week truce and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have died. In return for the release of hostages held by Hamas, Israel is expected to free Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s acceptance of the deal will not be finalized until it receives approval from the country’s security cabinet and government, with a vote scheduled for Thursday, according to an Israeli official.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of introducing last-minute demands and reneging on prior agreements.
“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” read a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
The impact of this latest delay on the agreement remains unclear.
Hamas is committed to the ceasefire deal announced by mediators on Wednesday, senior official Izzat el-Reshiq stated on Thursday.
Meanwhile, hardliners in Netanyahu’s government were attempting to block the deal, though a majority of ministers were still anticipated to support it.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that his party would remain in the government only if Israel resumes the war at full intensity until Hamas is defeated. Similarly, far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the government if the ceasefire is approved.
CALLS FOR FASTER IMPLEMENTATION
Some Palestinians urged the swift implementation of the deal.
"We lose homes every hour. We demand that this joy not be taken away, the joy that was drawn on our faces—don’t waste it by delaying the truce until Sunday," said Mahmoud Abu Wardeh, a resident of Gaza.
While people celebrated the agreement in both Gaza and Israel, Israel's military continued conducting strikes, according to the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service and local residents.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service, stated that 71 Palestinians had been killed, and at least 200 others were injured in recent attacks. A spokesperson for the Israeli military said they were reviewing the reports.
At a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that negotiators were working with Israel and Hamas to finalize steps for implementing the agreement.
“This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, provide much-needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families after over 15 months in captivity,” U.S. President Joe Biden said during remarks in Washington.
Former President Donald Trump, who is set to take office on Monday, also claimed credit for the breakthrough in Gaza.
Although the deal involves freeing Palestinian militants serving life sentences for deadly attacks in Israel, public opinion surveys show broad support among Israelis for an agreement that secures the release of hostages, despite the perceived heavy cost.
"This is the only choice we have to ensure our survival as a state and a nation, knowing we must do everything to save one another," said Chava Treitel, a resident of Jerusalem.
The Gaza conflict has seen Israel secure strategic gains against Iran and its proxies, particularly Hezbollah. While Hamas may have been weakened, the absence of a viable alternative governing authority in Gaza has left it in place.
If successful, the ceasefire could halt the devastation in Gaza, where extensive urban areas have been destroyed, over 46,000 people killed, and most of the 2.3 million pre-war residents displaced, according to Gaza authorities.
A broader de-escalation could also ease tensions across the Middle East, where the conflict has ignited violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, raising fears of a larger confrontation between Israel and Iran.
Under phase one of the agreement, 33 of the remaining 98 Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over 50, will be released.
FOOD LINED UP AT GAZA'S BORDERS
The agreement includes a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross preparing to expand their relief operations.
The ceasefire was met with widespread approval globally.
Israeli forces entered Gaza following an attack by Hamas-led gunmen on October 7, 2023. The attackers infiltrated Israeli border communities, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Discussions regarding the second phase of the agreement are set to commence by the 16th day of the first phase. This phase is expected to focus on the release of all remaining hostages, the establishment of a permanent ceasefire, and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The third phase will address the retrieval of all remaining bodies and initiate Gaza's reconstruction, overseen by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.
