Tel Aviv, Jan 19: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded that Israel will not proceed with the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas provides a list of the names of 33 hostages to be freed in the first phase on Sunday.

It comes hours before the ceasefire deal was slated to be held on Sunday.

Netanyahu Saturday also highlighted that Israel will not tolerate any violations of the ceasefire agreement and holds Hamas fully responsible.

It states that Hamas will provide the names of the hostages at least 24 hours ahead of their release, which has not yet taken place.

"We will not move forward with the agreement until we receive the list of hostages who will be released, as agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. The sole responsibility lies with Hamas," Netanyahu said on Saturday in a statement.

Israel's security cabinet had approved the Gaza ceasefire agreement that involves the exchange of dozens of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and a temporary pause in the 15-month-long conflict.

The much-awaited decision came as Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to vote on Friday's long-pending ceasefire deal with Gaza.

Under the first phase of the agreement, set to last 42 days, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages, including children, women -- such as female soldiers -- and individuals over the age of 50.

In return, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners for each female Israeli soldier freed by Hamas and 30 prisoners for other female hostages.

The 15 months of war between Israel and Palestine that killed nearly 48,000 people were triggered after the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.

During the horrific massacre, more than 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 250 people were taken hostage.

The first, 42-day phase of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, mediator Qatar announced on Saturday, as families of hostages held in Gaza braced for news of loved ones, Palestinians prepared to receive freed detainees and humanitarian groups rushed to set up a surge of aid.

Both sides have hinted that an exchange of hostages for prisoners will happen only after 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The first phase of the ceasefire will last 42 days, and negotiations on the far more difficult second phase are meant to begin just over two weeks in. After those six weeks, Israel’s security Cabinet will decide how to proceed

(IANS)

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