Killed 77 Palestinians

Israeli strikes killed 77 Palestinians after the ceasefire was declared. 

From CNN Staff

In the hours after Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire and hostage deal on Wednesday, many Palestinians took to the streets celebrating what looked like a potential end to the war.

In Israel, some also looked to the agreement with hope that some hostages would be soon returned from Gaza, having been kidnapped since October 2023.

But overnight, shortly after the deal was agreed, local emergency crews in Gaza described a relentless bombardment on the territory, with Israeli strikes killing at least 77 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. Of those killed, 21 were children and 25 women, it said.

Then on Thursday, Israel said it had delayed a cabinet vote on the agreement, blaming Hamas for reneging on parts of the agreement. Hamas, for its part, said the group was “committed to the truce.”

Despite this, there is no indication that the deal has fallen through. In fact, US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer told CNN the Biden administration “fully” expects the ceasefire-hostage deal to be implemented Sunday, adding that complications are to be expected “in deals that are complicated.”

However, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionist Party – which is a key part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government – on Thursday threatened to quit the governing coalition if the PM does not return to war after the first phase of the agreement. This move would have the potential to collapse the Israeli government.