Two French-Israelis – Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi – are expected to be among the first hostages released by Hamas, while the ceasefire still needs to be officially approved by the Israeli security cabinet.
The first Israeli hostages should be freed on Sundaythe office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday, while the ceasefire agreement announced Wednesday by the mediators must still be validated by the country’s security cabinet.
“Subject to the approval of the agreement by the security cabinet and the government, and the implementation of the agreement, the release of the hostages can take place according to the planned plan, with the first hostages to be released as soon as Sunday”says a statement from the Israeli leader’s office.
French President Emmanuel Macron announces that two Franco-Israeli Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi are on the list of the first hostages who should be released by Hamas.
Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Friday a meeting of his security cabinet for a preliminary discussion on the ceasefire agreement, before the full cabinet meeting scheduled for Saturday evening.
Last minute obstacles to approval of the agreement
While a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday by Qatari and American mediators, The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office decided Thursday to postpone approval of the deal, citing last-minute obstacles.
The first phase of the ceasefire provides a cessation of fighting in Gaza for 42 days and the exchange of 33 hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
It would also allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return home, even though many of them lost their homes in the bombings.
Benjamin Netanyahu tasked a special team to prepare to receive hostages returning from Gaza and informed their families of the deal.
Hamas denies returning to certain points of the agreement
Israel has postponed a vote on the ceasefire on Thursday, blaming a last-minute dispute with Hamas for delaying approval.
Growing tensions within Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition have raised concerns about the deal’s implementation, just a day after US President Joe Biden and lead mediator Qatar announced it would was completed.
The Israeli prime minister’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the deal in a bid to secure further concessions.
At a press conference held on Thursday, Israeli government spokesperson, David Mencer says new Hamas demands focus on deployment of Israeli forces in Philadelphia corridorthe narrow strip bordering Egypt which Israeli troops seized in May.
Hamas denied these claimsIzzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, stating that the militant group “commits to respecting the ceasefire agreement which was announced by the mediators”.
90% of Gaza residents displaced by conflict
The ceasefire agreement sparked strong resistance from Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partnerson which the Israeli Prime Minister depends to stay in power.
On Thursday, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the government if Israel approved the ceasefire.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, for his part, called on Israel and Hamas to implement a ceasefire plan in Gaza “without delay”during an exclusive interview with the Associated Press on Thursday.
Egypt has for years been a key mediator between the two sides and a leading player in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
The 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas have razed large swaths of Gaza and forced around 90% of the strip’s 2.3 million residents from their homes.
Hundreds of thousands of people suffer from hunger and disease in makeshift tent camps on the coast.