Israel reserves right to resume war if necessary: Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Gaza ceasefire commencement
Jerusalem/IBNS: Hours before the commencement of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country won't be able "to move forward with the framework" until provided with the list of hostages to be released by Hamas, media reports said.
"We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Hamas is solely responsible," Netanyahu said in a post on X in Hebrew.
In a televised address, Netanyahu said Israel reserves the "right to resume war if necessary" with US support. He said he would have to ensure all hostages were brought back to Israel.
"We reserve the right to resume the war if necessary, with American support," Netanyahu said in the televised statement.
He added that Israel had "changed the face of the Middle East" since the war began.
Of the 251 people taken hostage, 94 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on Sunday morning, mediator Qatar said after Israel's cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.
Ending a 15-month-long war, Israel and Hamas reached a landmark agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as exchanging of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
This agreement comes after months of intense negotiations carried out by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the support of the United States.
The overall toll in the Israel-Hamas war is more than 46,000 with hundreds of thousands getting displaced and struggling to survive in makeshift shelters.
In Israel, the return of the hostages is expected to ease public anger against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, who have faced severe criticism for the October 7 security failure that led to the deadliest single day in Israel's history.
The agreement marks a significant shift in the dynamics of the conflict, coming after Israel's successful assassinations of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
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