Netanyahu Indicates Ceasefire Deal with Hamas Is in Jeopardy

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has expressed concerns regarding the impending ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which is scheduled to take effect at 6:30 AM tomorrow. He pointed out that Hamas has not submitted the list of 33 hostages that are supposed to be released, putting the deal in jeopardy. During a recent speech, Netanyahu stated that Israel will not give up until all hostages are freed and characterized the ceasefire as a "temporary" measure. He has the support of incoming President Donald Trump to take military action if the negotiations do not yield results.

If fighting resumes, Netanyahu indicated that it would be conducted in new and "forceful" ways. Both President Trump and President Biden have reaffirmed Israel's right to respond with military action if it becomes clear that negotiations on the release of hostages are unproductive. Netanyahu made it clear that the continuation of the ceasefire is contingent upon receiving the list of hostages from Hamas, stating that any violations of the agreement would be unacceptable, with Hamas bearing full responsibility for the situation.

Complicating matters, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has announced his intention to resign from the government in protest of the ceasefire arrangement, with reports of discontent from other ministers who view the agreement as a capitulation to Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel's military reported intercepting a projectile from the Houthi group amid air raid sirens blaring throughout central Israel and conducted attacks on targets in Gaza. The military noted that since Friday, they have struck 50 targets linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad throughout the Gaza Strip, with significant smoke plumes visible from the airstrikes.