Netanyahu accuses Hamas of reneging on ceasefire deal

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, as he faced a pushback against the agreement from his ultranationalist allies.

Mediators announced on Wednesday night that Hamas and Israel had reached an agreement on a deal that would halt the 15-month war in Gaza and free the 98 hostages still in captivity.

But Netanyahu’s government, which relies on the support of two far-right parties bitterly opposed to any deal, insisted that final details remained to be sorted out, and on Thursday morning claimed that Hamas was backtracking.

“Israel will not set a date for a cabinet and government meeting [to approve the deal] until the mediators announce that Hamas has approved all the details of the agreement,” Netanyahu’s office said.

There was no immediate response from Hamas.

This is a developing story