A wave of Israeli strikes hit Gaza in the evening, as the world was cheering a deal on paper that Israel and Hamas had agreed to for a ceasefire over the hostages. The Israeli strikes hit central Gaza and the area to the south, killing at least 11 people. However, the echoes of the agreement still linger in the air as a possibility for peace. The agreement reached with Hamas is a "significant move" and is needed to return the hostages, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Wednesday, in what was the first official public Israeli confirmation of the agreement, writes A2 CNN.
He vowed to return all hostages, saying Israel had "failed in its duty" to protect them. He urged the government and cabinet to approve the deal when it is presented to them. Herzog also thanked the mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States, including President-elect Donald Trump and his team. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the announcement of the hostage ceasefire.
He commended mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States for their “dedicated efforts in brokering this agreement.” He said the ceasefire should remove obstacles to delivering aid to Gaza amid the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in the enclave. “This agreement is a critical first step,” he said.
But not everyone seems to agree with this agreement. The reaction came immediately from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. He issued a threat to resign rather than accept the terms of the hostage ceasefire agreement.
"The agreement that will be brought before the government is a bad and dangerous agreement for the national security of the state of Israel," the far-right lawmaker said in a statement on behalf of his Religious Zionism party, which is opposed to any concessions to Hamas. "We oppose it with all our strength." (A2 Televizion)
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