Israel-Hamas ceasefire live: US ‘confident’ truce will begin despite Netanyahu accusing Hamas of backtracking
The US is “confident” that last minute issues in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will be overcome before Sunday, after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of backtracking on the deal.
“We’re going to get there,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told NBC News. “We’re confident that we will be able to solve these last-minute issues and get it moving, and that this ceasefire can take place starting on Sunday.”
It comes after Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of attempting “to extort last minute concessions”, before a senior Hamas official came out to reiterate the Palestinian group’s commitment to the deal agreed on Wednesday.
The dispute relates to the identities of several prisoners which Hamas is demanding be released, a US official said, adding that the deal is expected to be resolved soon.
It comes as Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza overnight and into Thursday, killing at least 77 people, including 21 children and 25 women, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence.
The deal involves an initial six-week halt to the 15 months of bloodshed that has devastated the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 46,000 Palestinians dead and millions displaced.
It also promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
