Benjamin Netanyahu issues a warning before the Gaza freeze

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is ready to restart the war against Hamas should the second phase of the talks to end the war fail.

In a televised speech just hours before it began on Sunday, Netanyahu insisted that the ceasefire was “temporary” and that Israel had the right to resume strikes on Gaza – and that he had the support of US President-elect Donald Trump to do so.

Netanyahu also highlighted what he called the success of Israel’s military campaign over the past 15 months – including the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

“We have changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said, before adding that Hamas is now “completely alone”.

The ceasefire is due to come into force at 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT).

Before Saturday’s speech, Netanyahu said that Israel will not implement the agreement until it receives a list of hostages to be released by Hamas.

“Israel will not tolerate any violation of the agreement,” he said.

A long list of 33 hostages to be released by Hamas has been published by Israeli media but has not been confirmed by officials.

But Israeli authorities say they have not yet received the names of the three hostages due to be released on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued its airstrikes on what it says are Hamas and Islamic Jihad areas in Gaza – more than 120 people have been killed since the deal was announced on Wednesday, Hamas officials said.

In the next few weeks, 33 hostages are expected to be released in exchange for 1,890 Palestinian prisoners. Under the agreement, Israel will begin withdrawing its forces from Gaza.

The place where the first hostages will be handed over is unclear. A senior Israeli military official said three reception centers have been set up near the northern, central, and southern borders of Gaza.

Earlier, a source close to Hamas told AFP that the first three hostages to be released would be women.

Talks about the goals of the second phase of the armistice will begin on Day 16 of the first phase and will focus on achieving a “complete end to the war”.

The details of the second phase of this agreement are not yet clear but it is expected that the remaining captives, including men, will be released in this phase as there are many Palestinian prisoners imprisoned in Israeli prisons.

There will also be a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. It is also understood that Hamas police – who will be unarmed unless necessary – will oversee the return of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were still displaced in northern Gaza.

The third and final phase will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something that could take many years – and the return of any remaining bodies of hostages.

Friday night, The Israeli government approved a cease-fire agreement and the release of hostages after hours of negotiations.

Two far-right Cabinet ministers voted against, including national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The structure of the abrogated agreement also creates anxiety and division among the families of the kidnappers. Some fear that relatives will be left behind in Gaza after the first phase is completed.

On Saturday evening, thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to demand that the government guarantee the release of other hostages in compliance with the first phase of the ceasefire.

Gal Alkalay, a member of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, told Reuters: “We could have saved the lives of 200 soldiers and more than 10 hostages.” He also added that people died needlessly because the government “couldn’t make a decision and waited for Trump”.

Earlier on Saturday, several people were injured in a stabbing attack near a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israeli police said. It is reported that the assailant was shot dead at the scene by a civilian.

The suspect arrived in Tel Aviv “illegally” from Tulkarm in the West Bank, Israeli media said.

There has been no respite for Palestinians on the ground in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement was announced on Wednesday night.

The Ministry of Health in Palestine said that 123 people have been killed in strikes since then.

On Saturday, the civil defense organization in Gaza under Hamas said that at least five members of one family were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Yunis, south of Gaza, reported AFP.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Israeli army said it had attacked 100 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters who were among the many “criminals” who attacked Gaza, according to the Reuters news agency.

The Israeli military launched an operation to destroy Hamas – which is declared a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and others – in response to an unprecedented attack on the border on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were captured. .

About 46,899 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the area. Most of the 2.3 million people have also been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter as a result of the struggle to get aid to those who need it.