Israel has delayed the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire will not come into force until Hamas provides the names of the first hostages it plans to release.
A statement from his office says he instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) not to begin the ceasefire, which was scheduled to take effect at 12 noon Indian time today. On the other hand, Hamas says the delay is due to technical reasons. According to the ceasefire agreement, names should be provided at least 24 hours before a planned exchange.
The Israeli leader warned last night that the first phase of the deal to stop fighting in Gaza was a temporary ceasefire and that Israel reserved the right to resume the war if it was to break down.