Netanyahu's office: Hamas trying to backtrack on hostage deal at last minute 

As part of the agreement between Hamas and Israel on the outline for the release of the hostages, and with the ceasefire going into effect on Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement overnight (between Wednesday and Thursday) that Hamas was trying to renege on the understandings that had already been agreed upon.

According to the statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu held a conference call with the negotiating team in Doha, which informed him of last-minute attempts by the terror organization to retract the May 27 understandings regarding the identity of the terrorists who would be released.

Among other things, in contrast to an explicit clause that gives Israel the right to veto the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terror, Hamas demands that the identity of these terrorists be dictated. The prime minister instructed the negotiating team to stand by the understandings that had been agreed upon, and to reject out of hand Hamas's last-minute extortion attempts.

According to the outline that was agreed, Israel, for its part, would release 30 terrorists for every Israeli hostage who was released, and 50 terrorists for every female soldier. Among the terrorists who will be released will be minors under the age of 19 who were arrested after October 7, Reuters news agency reported.