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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that a ceasefire deal as well as a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached. The shocking announcement came a day after the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said there were ‘last-minute snags’ in talks to free hostages in return for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu said he will convene his security Cabinet on Friday, and then the government, to approve the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire announcement comes just days before US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to be sworn into office for his second term serving as the country’s President. The soon-to-be 47th US President said the agreement between Israel and Hamas had ‘better be finalized’ before his inauguration on Monday.

The billionaire businessman claimed his involvement was crucial for the negotiation. ‘We changed the course of it, and we changed it fast, and frankly, it better be done before I take the oath of office,’ Trump said in a podcast interview with Dan Bongino, an American conservative political commentator and radio show host. ‘We shook hands, and we signed certain documents, but it better be done,’ Trump added. The President-elect boldly claimed that sitting President Joe Biden ‘hadn’t done anything’ to resolve the ongoing international crisis. ‘I’m not looking for credit. I want to get these people out,’ he said. ‘We’ve got to get them out.’

The truce is expected to begin Sunday, but Netanyahu says the ‘last-minute crisis’ with Hamas was the last straw holding up his government’s approval. However, the ceasefire and hostage deal doesn’t say whether Israel and Egypt will lift a blockade on Gaza they imposed when Hamas seized power in 2007. Now, the rubble clearance and eventual rebuilding of homes will require billions of dollars and the ability to bring construction materials and heavy equipment into the territory.

International donors are unlikely to invest in the now ungoverned territory that has seen five wars in less than two decades – which means the sprawling tent camps along the coast could become a permanent feature of life in the struggling strip. The United Nations estimates that the deadly war has littered Gaza with over 50 million tons of rubble, roughly 12 times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Last month, using satellite data, the UN estimated that 69 percent of the structures in Gaza, including over 245,000 homes, have been damaged or destroyed.

With over 100 trucks working full time, the cleanup efforts would take over 15 years to clear the rubble away, the Associated Press reported. The millions of tons of debris also contains huge amounts of unexploded ordnance as well as human remains. Gaza’s Health Ministry claims thousands of people killed in airstrikes are still buried under the rubble. But, the full extent of the damage will remain unknown until the fighting comes to a full stop and inspectors have full access to the territory.

Now, Palestinian leaders are preparing in case they’re tasked with running critical services and setting up an interim government in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has since met with top officials to discuss plans for reintegrating government institutions in Gaza, including the territory’s health care, education, water and power sectors, as well as coordinating a surge of humanitarian aid.

However, there is still no plan for who will govern Gaza after the war. Israel has said it will work with local Palestinians not affiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. But it’s unclear if such partners exist, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with Israeli forces.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threated on Thursday night to leave the government if Israel approves the ceasefire, but said his party would rejoin the government if fighting in Gaza continued. Even if Ben-Gvir’s party leaves the government, it does not rob Netanyahu of a parliamentary majority. It also would not stop a ceasefire deal if the plan comes to a Cabinet vote for approval, which could happen as early as Friday. Ben-Gvir said the ceasefire was ‘reckless’ and would ‘destroy all of Israel’s achievements.’

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