Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last minute crisis.”
Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions.” It did not elaborate.
The Israeli Cabinet was set to ratify the deal Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 48 people over the past day. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 48 bodies of people killed since midday Wednesday were brought to several hospitals.



Israeli Strike Hits Vehicle at Beirut Southern Entrance, State Media Reports

File photo of Lebanon's Khaldeh area, Lebanon August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Issam Abdallah
File photo of Lebanon's Khaldeh area, Lebanon August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Issam Abdallah
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Israeli Strike Hits Vehicle at Beirut Southern Entrance, State Media Reports

File photo of Lebanon's Khaldeh area, Lebanon August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Issam Abdallah
File photo of Lebanon's Khaldeh area, Lebanon August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Issam Abdallah

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported an Israeli strike on a vehicle on Beirut's southern entrance, as the Israeli army said it hit a "terrorist" working for Iran.

According to the NNA, "an enemy drone targeted a car on the Khalde highway" south of Beirut, AFP reported.

The Israeli army said it "eliminated a terrorist responsible for smuggling weapons and advancing terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops, on behalf of the Iranian Quds Force", the foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.