Biden administration said stunned by reports Israel will delay hostage deal implementation by one day

US President Joe Biden, center, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, right, speaks in the Cross Hall of the White House on the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war, January 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
US President Joe Biden, center, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, right, speaks in the Cross Hall of the White House on the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war, January 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Biden administration is said to be stunned by reports that Israel is planning to delay the implementation of the hostage deal by one day.

Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to only convene a cabinet meeting to vote on the deal’s approval on Saturday, rather than tomorrow. The report said there wouldn’t be enough time to hold both a security cabinet vote and a full cabinet vote before Shabbat on Friday, forcing the delay of the latter until Saturday evening. The government is then required to give 24 hours for High Court of Justice petitions against the deal before moving forward with its implementation.

Channel 12 says the White House is fuming over the decision and warns that the extra day could lead to further complications in the deal’s implementation.

Most Popular