According to an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office, Hamas is attempting to modify the ceasefire agreement terms after initial understandings were already reached.
The terror organization demanded to strip Israel of its veto rights regarding the release of mass murderers and to independently dictate who would be released – a direct contradiction to the original agreement terms.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, conducting a conference call with the negotiating team stationed in Doha, firmly stated that Israel would not accept any alterations to the terms. "We must maintain the agreements as previously established and reject Hamas' attempts at extortion," the office's statement declared. Sources in Netanyahu's circle emphasized that Israel will not permit Hamas to impose new conditions at this crucial juncture, and the established understandings will remain unchanged.
This critical development emerged mere hours after Qatar's Prime Minister, President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog collectively announced a ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Netanyahu personally spoke with both the incoming and outgoing presidents, expressing gratitude for their roles in facilitating the agreement. However, it's significant to note that the Prime Minister's Office has yet to declare the agreement final, and had indeed indicated Wednesday evening that minor gaps still existed.
In a related development, Mike Waltz, who served as National Security Advisor during the Trump administration, told Fox News that the President-elect's inauguration day would witness hostages reuniting with their families. A senior White House official disclosed to CNN that Sunday's release would include five female soldiers, alongside American citizens in the deal's initial phase. The official emphasized that should Hamas violate the agreement, the US would back the resumption of war and provide support. "I want the Israelis to know this," Waltz stated.
