Netanyahu's "fear of Trump is greater than his fear of his extreme right-wing coalition partners," Israeli expert told Newsweek.
Israel said the ceasefire will not begin until Hamas supplies a list of the hostages held by Hamas who are slated to be returned to Israel on Sunday.
The deal was set to be ratified by the Israeli Cabinet on Thursday. But Netanyahu says, without specifying, that Hamas has gone back on several parts of the ceasefire deal at the last minute.
The ceasefire as agreed to in Qatar is set to last 42 days. Over that period, 33 hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, there will be a slow withdrawal of the Israeli military from urban centers in Gaza and a surge of humanitarian aid.
Israel's prime minister says his country is ready to go back to war in Gaza if negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire deal with Hamas collapses.
The Israeli cabinet will meet to give approval to a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, mediator Qatar announced Saturday.
A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin on Sunday morning (Sunday night NZT), mediator Qatar said, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to bring back “all the hostag
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, convened his security Cabinet to vote on a ceasefire deal after confirming an agreement had been reached.
Hamas released the first three hostages to Israel as part of the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement, Reuters reports. The three women were accompanied to the specified location by several armed Hamas militants. They reunited with their mothers at a Red Cross reception point near the Gaza border, as reported by the Israeli military.
Israel has freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The release came early Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.