- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held up the cabinet vote on the ceasefire deal that prompted premature celebrations in Gaza and was expected to take effect on Sunday, January 19.
- The Israeli military has stepped up attacks on the Gaza Strip since the announcement, killing at least 71 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s Civil Defence.
- Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq says the deal reached in the Qatari capital, Doha, meets all of the Palestinian group’s conditions, including the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of displaced people to their homes and a permanent end to the war.
- Israel’s war in Gaza has killed at least 46,707 Palestinians and wounded 110,265 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day and more than 200 were taken captive.
- First stage of ceasefire deal is guaranteed’: Ex-Israeli officialAlon Liel, former director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, believes the Israeli cabinet will vote in favour of the ceasefire deal despite threats from far-right parties to abandon Netanyahu’s coalition over it.“Netanyahu has a clear majority in the cabinet … The first stage of the deal is guaranteed,” Liel told Al Jazeera.However, Netanyahu’s hesitancy regarding the deal reflects his concern over the potential weakening of his coalition, he added.While Netanyahu could maintain his coalition without far-right members Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, “he will become more dependent on moderate members of parliament”.Liel noted that the second stage of the ceasefire deal – intended to bring a permanent end to the war – is far less certain.“In 42 days, who knows what the region will look like,” he said.
- No signs of Hamas backtracking on ceasefire dealReporting from Amman, JordanAl Jazeera is reporting from Jordan because the Israeli government has banned the network from Israel and the occupied West Bank.We are not seeing any sort of leaks about Hamas going back on what they agreed upon in this deal.What we are seeing rather is internal conflict within Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, specifically among the Religious Zionism Party.This is the party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been threatening to leave the coalition if this deal came to a vote, saying this was a bad deal for Israel, that his party would need guarantees that Israel will go back to all-out fighting … after the initial phase [of the agreement].The party is holding its own meetings, saying that they are not going to vote until they decide whether they are going to leave the coalition. Members of this party have said that they are very likely to step down from the government and this is causing a lot of problems.
- Israelis protest against ceasefire in West Jerusalem
People stand next to coffins draped with Israeli flags as they protest against a ceasefire in West Jerusalem on Thursday [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]
- Israelis demonstrate against the ceasefire that they say will weaken security [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]
- Israeli police haul away a protester on Thursday in West Jerusalem [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]Hamas official confirms commitment to ceasefire dealIn a post on Telegram, Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq says the group is “committed to the ceasefire agreement” in Gaza as outlined by mediators Qatar and the United States.The statement comes after the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office accused Hamas of backtracking on some elements of the deal to extract “last-minute concessions”.Benjamin Netanyahu has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of captives in Gaza, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. What Palestinians are hoping for after ceasefireAfter more than 15 months of war, Palestinians in Gaza are hopeful a ceasefire will enable them to return to their homes and restart their lives.“I wish to see my house again. Truly, even if my house was demolished, I will place a tent between the destruction, I will camp there,” Areej Hani al-Zaharna, a displaced Palestinian, told Al Jazeera. “I will return to live there and rebuild … I will never think about seeking refuge, because this is my home.”Watch more testimonials from those displaced in the enclave here:
What Palestinians are hoping for after Gaza ceasefireHope and relief’: More countries react to Gaza ceasefire dealWe have some more reaction from countries worldwide who have welcomed the ceasefire deal:- China hopes relevant parties can take it as an opportunity to promote de-escalation in the Middle East, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has said.Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen has expressed “hope and relief that the suffering on all sides can now come to an end”.New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has called for a “durable and lasting peace” through “meaningful steps towards a two-state solution” in Palestine.India’s Foreign Ministry says it hopes the deal will “lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza”.The Swiss Foreign Ministry has urged the parties to fully implement the deal, respect international law and conclude a permanent ceasefire.
- Smotrich warns against debate over ceasefire spiralling into ‘civil war’Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a staunch opponent of the ceasefire deal, has issued a new statement on its implications for Israeli society.“We are in the midst of fateful days, facing a heart-wrenching dilemma between the desire to see all the hostages return to us and the fear of the heavy price of the deal and its implications for Israel’s future,” Smotrich wrote in a post on X. “I firmly believe that most of the public rejects attempts to turn this debate into a civil war of hatred and division.”“We must remember that both supporters and opponents of the deal want to see the hostages back home and to preserve Israel’s security,” he added.Later today, Israel’s cabinet is expected to formally vote on the deal. Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party is weighing resigning from the government in opposition, reports Ynet News.
- Bezalel Smotrich [File: Gil Cohen Magen/AFP]
- Israel’s PM alleges Hamas backtracking on ceasefire agreementBenjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of reneging on some details of the truce deal, holding up its approval by the Israeli government.“Hamas reneges on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions,” a statement from Netanyahu said.“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”The Israeli cabinet was set to ratify the deal today.
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- Charities call for ‘unimpeded’ humanitarian aid into Gaza and a long-term solutionWe have some more reaction from charities who have welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire deal:
- Reporters Without Borders has called for “open borders for journalists and an end to impunity for Israel’s war crimes”.OXFAM has urged a “permanent end to hostilities, accountability, an end to atrocities and lifting of blockade”.Action Against Hunger has called for increased humanitarian aid, as there are only 600 trucks per day scheduled to deliver necessities – “far from enough to feed a population on the brink of famine”.The Australian Council for International Development has urged “unimpeded, sustained humanitarian aid to those in need”, adding that the ceasefire “must be followed by concrete actions to ensure a long-term solution”.
- Reporters Without Borders has called for “open borders for journalists and an end to impunity for Israel’s war crimes”.OXFAM has urged a “permanent end to hostilities, accountability, an end to atrocities and lifting of blockade”.Action Against Hunger has called for increased humanitarian aid, as there are only 600 trucks per day scheduled to deliver necessities – “far from enough to feed a population on the brink of famine”.The Australian Council for International Development has urged “unimpeded, sustained humanitarian aid to those in need”, adding that the ceasefire “must be followed by concrete actions to ensure a long-term solution”.
- Palestinians walk at a closed street market at sunrise in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on January 16, 2025 [Hussam al-Masri/Reuters]
- Human Rights Watch calls for ‘end to systematic repression’Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, has welcomed the news of a ceasefire deal and also called for Israel “to lift its blockade, allow in humanitarian aid at scale necessary to meet urgent needs, and ensure basic services like electricity and water are restored”.“Otherwise, people will continue to die, ceasefire or not,” he said in a statement. He added that the “heinous crimes” committed should not go unpunished.“Those responsible should be held to account, including at the International Criminal Court, and states need to address root causes, including Israel’s apartheid against the Palestinians,” Shakir said.“To avoid further mass atrocities, there must be an end to systematic repression and respect for the rights of all people in Israel and Palestine,” he added.
- A view of damage at the residential building of the Aloush family in the north of Gaza City on January 16, 2025. [Hasan N H Alzaanin/Anadolu]
LIVE: Israel delays cabinet vote on ceasefire deal; dozens killed in Gaza
