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Israel's Ceasefire Agreement With Hamas 'Painful, Hard' Decision - Foreign Ministry

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday called the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas a very hard and painful decision that is yet to be approved by the Israeli government.

"We are likely to stand before a hostage agreement... This is a very difficult decision. When you make the decision to release so many terrorists, including murderers of Jews, it is not an easy decision ... that the Israeli cabinet has yet to make," Saar said during his visit to Italy.

He added that true leadership is about the ability to choose between "a bad and a very bad decision."

"We have an obligation to our brothers and sisters. We have done everything we can and brought home most of the hostages, but 98 of them are still there. If we postpone the decision, we don't know how many of them will survive. So, we will have to make a very tough and painful decision," Saar said.

World

Global Leaders and Top Officials Hail Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

07:19 GMT

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani earlier said that Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas had agreed to a 42-day ceasefire with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, and the agreement will come into effect on January 19.