Israeli Cabinet Approves Cease-Fire Amid Ongoing Gaza Bombings, Critics Say ‘46,000 Lives Too Late’

As the Israeli military persisted with its 15-month offensive that has claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians and left the Gaza Strip in ruins, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the entire Cabinet had given the green light to a cease-fire and hostage-release arrangement early Saturday. This agreement is scheduled to commence at 8:30 am local time on Sunday.

The deal, which unfolds in three stages and was brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the outgoing Biden and incoming Trump administrations, secured a 24-8 vote following an endorsement from the Security Cabinet on Friday.

Netanyahu later clarified on Saturday that “the framework cannot proceed until we have the list of hostages to be released, as per our agreement. Israel will not stand for any breaches of this agreement. The responsibility lies solely with Hamas.”

Since the announcement of the cease-fire on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have continued their operations, resulting in over 100 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Health authorities in Gaza reported on Saturday that the Israeli offensive has resulted in at least 46,899 deaths and 110,725 injuries since the Hamas-initiated attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Over 10,000 individuals are still unaccounted for in the devastated Palestinian area, and experts believe that the actual death toll may be considerably higher.

Doctors Without Borders expressed in a statement on Saturday that “the temporary cease-fire in Gaza is a welcome development, yet it comes after more than 465 days and 46,000 deaths too many.” They added, “While this pause in fighting and bombing is critical and should be sustained long-term, it marks only the start of addressing the vast humanitarian, psychological, and medical needs in Gaza.”

The organization stressed, “Israel must immediately lift its blockade of Gaza and significantly increase humanitarian aid to and throughout Gaza so that the countless individuals in dire straits can begin their lengthy recovery process.” They also highlighted, “The consequences of this gruesome war include the destruction of homes, hospitals, and infrastructure; and the displacement of millions who now urgently need water, food, and shelter during the harsh winter.”

After a cease-fire agreement was reached late last year to halt Israel’s military actions in Lebanon, the IDF faced accusations of breaching the agreement with ongoing attacks allegedly aimed at the political and militant group Hezbollah.

According to Drop Site News: “Reports from Egyptian media have revealed the establishment of a joint operations room in Cairo, involving representatives from Egypt, Palestine, Qatar, the United States, and Israel, to manage the Gaza cease-fire and ‘ensure effective coordination and monitoring of adherence to the agreement’s terms.'”

Israel, whose military receives significant support from the United States, is facing a genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice, and in November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri.

After the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision on Friday, Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, commented: “Remember, a cease-fire is NOT a pardon. High-ranking Israeli officials still need to be held accountable for genocide and war crimes. Otherwise, it sets a precedent that governments can commit heinous acts with impunity, simply settling with a cease-fire at the end.”

This post has been updated with a subsequent statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made later on Saturday.