Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of backing out of a cease-fire deal to release hostages and end the war in Gaza, which has raged for more than a year.

A groundbreaking ceasefire agreement between "Israel" and Hamas has been officially signed in Doha, marking a significant step toward ending hostilities in Gaza. Mediated by Qatar and the U.S., the deal includes a prisoner exchange and the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

As the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect today, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, emphasised that it could help in bringing back the hostages and ensuring that Hamas is not able to repeat a “massacre” of Israelis like the October 7 attack.