“You waved the white flag before Netanyahu!” yelled blogger MAX BLUMENTHAL. Blumenthal is credentialed by the State Department and runs a site accused of downplaying human rights abuses by China, Russia and former Syrian dictator BASHAR ASSAD. “How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide!”

Some American observers assumed that Netanyahu wanted to extend the war into Trump’s term, during which he would have the Republican president’s permission to behave however he liked. These were, after all, like-minded politicians. But that assessment misread the Netanyahu-Trump dynamic.

President Biden said in an MSNBC interview that he pushed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent civilian deaths during the Gaza war. He also defended his steadfast support for Israel.

The first phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is due to start at 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Sunday.

The deal was set to be ratified by Israeli Cabinet on Thursday. But Netanyahu says, without specifying, that Hamas has gone back on several parts of the ceasefire agreement at the last minute.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a "deal to release the hostages" has been agreed. Netanyahu had delayed a cabinet vote to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, due on Thursday, accusing Hamas of seeking last-minute changes to the agreement.

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza scheduled to begin at 0630 GMT would not commence unless Hamas provided a list of hostages to be released,

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory.

During an initial 42-day ceasefire, Palestinian militant groups will hand over 33 hostages, three of them on Sunday, and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom will be deported.

The truce between Israel and Hamas was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. The first Israeli hostages were to be released hours later in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

After 14 months of talks, Trump’s threats and his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, played a major role in helping Biden officials reach the finish line.