We earlier reported some Israeli media outlets saying Netanyahu had delayed cabinet approval of the ceasefire deal because one of his ministers was threatening to leave government if it went ahead.

Professor of International Politics at University College Dublin, Scott Lucas, broadly agrees.

He says the Israeli prime minister is "covering his backside" politically by delaying the ceasefire deal's approval.

While speaking to ABC NewsChannel,  Lucas said Hamas "is not blocking the first stage of this ceasefire deal" as an Israeli statement previously accused them of doing.

"The issue is Israel domestic politics," he said.

"We had signals of this even as the deal was being announced."

Watch the full interview below.

A last minute drama has exploded regarding the ceasefire deal.

Israeli political correspondents accuse the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office of falsely claiming that "Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement … in an effort to extort last-minute concessions."

The real problem, they report, is that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to convince far right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, to agree to the deal and not leave the government. 

Smotrich, the reporters say, has now demanded that Israel keep military forces deployed along the Gaza-Egypt border — what is known as the Philadelphi Corridor. 

Channel-14 reporter Moti Castel quoted a senior Israeli political source who said that "the main reason for the delay of the convening of the Israeli cabinet (to vote on the deal) is the political fear over Smotrich and Mr Netanyahu’s desire to get a clear commitment from him that he won’t leave the government".

Israel Broadcasting Corporation, KANN-11 reporter, Michael Shemesh, reported that "Netanyahu is waiting for a resolution to the political issue with Smotrich."

The leadership of the Religious Zionism party is convening now. Channel 12 political reporter, Daphna Liel, writes that the pressure is on Smotrich. 

“Netanyahu is not willing to accept Smotrich leaving the government, despite being able to survive even if (National Security Minister Itamar) Ben-Gvir and Smotrich leave it.”

Senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri said: "There is no basis for Netanyahu’s claims regarding the organizations reneging on articles of the ceasefire agreement."

Oxfam policy lead Bushra Khalidi earlier appeared on ABC's The World from Ramallah in the West Bank, responding to the last-minute delay in Israel's official approval of the ceasefire deal.

"This is a chance to bring real relief to Gaza," she said of the deal.

"Every aspect of our lives is affected by this brutal occupation."

"It's hard to rejoice completely because [the ceasefire] hasn't been yet announced."

Watch the full interview below.

Less than 24 hours after the deal between Israel and Hamas was reached, and it may well be on shaky ground.

Certainly that’s the picture the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to paint for the world, as it closely watches how this plays out.

We know that there are deep divisions within the Netanyahu government over the deal — that far right members of his coalition cabinet, namely the national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, have agitated against it.

They’ve threatened to quit the government as a result, and are arcing up about Israel considering the proposal.

That blowback is likely what’s prompted, in part, Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement earlier that he’s not convening the cabinet to vote on the proposal.

It’s been phrased in terms of Hamas reneging on key details. But Hamas insists it remains committed to the deal.

How much of what we’ll see over the next few hours is theatre, and how much of it is substance, is as opaque as the negotiations leading up to this point.

But it highlights just how complicated and complex this process has been, and why so many are reluctant to declare success until a deal finally comes into force.

Here are the key details of the ceasefire deal according to officials: 

• The initial phase will last 42 days, with negotiations for a second phase to start after 16 days 
• 33 Israeli hostages and about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released in the first phase
• Israel will maintain a buffer zone of up to 800 metres inside Gaza, according to Israeli media

An Israeli cabinet meeting was scheduled for 7pm AEST to officially approve Israel's side of the deal, but it was delayed after a statement from Netanyahu's office claimed Hamas had reneged on some terms of the deal.

Hamas reiterated it accepts the deal, but it is unclear when the Israeli approval might happen now.

It is now 11:53am in Gaza City.

Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least 73 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, rescuers say, while approval on the deal has been delayed.

Here are the newest photos from the region.

with AFP

Josef Federman, the Associated Press’ director for Israel and Palestinian territories spoke with Radio National from Israel this morning about the ceasefire deal.

He acknowledged the war is not over, but says if a permanent ceasefire eventuates, conversations on who will run Gaza will be complex. 

“Israel refuses that full withdrawal unless Hamas basically surrenders. Netanyahu set out these goals at the beginning of the war, to destroy Hamas, to rob it of its military capabilities, its governing capabilities."

“And it's going to get complicated, because Hamas, even though it's been badly weakened in this fighting, Hamas, is still the strongest party operating inside Gaza on the Palestinian side.”

He says the challenge now for the international community is going to be how to figure out who is going to run Gaza down the road and who is going to pay for reconstruction. 

“The international community does want the Palestinian Authority," he says. 

“Israel doesn't want it, Israel also obviously doesn't want Hamas ever to run Gaza again. Israel is counting on Arab allies, like the United Arab Emirates, even Saudi Arabia, in their dream world, to kind of come in and help run things with some local Palestinian partners.

“But nobody knows who these partners are.”

Now a delay in Israel's approval has further fuelled uncertainty around the deal.

Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators on Wednesday, senior group official Izzat el-Reshiq says.

The statement comes after a claim from Israel that the group reneged on parts of the agreement, prompting the cabinet to delay its official approval.

Reuters

Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran explains the elements of the deal which still need to be finalised, as Israel delays officially approving the deal.

Watch him on ABC's NewsChannel below.

A separate statement from the Israeli prime minister's office seen by the ABC claims Hamas has reneged on parts of the ceasefire agreement to "extort" concessions in a "last minute crisis".

It added the Israeli cabinet would not convene until mediators confirmed that Hamas had accepted all the terms of the agreement.

It was set to convene at 7pm AEST today, or in 15 minutes, to officially approve Israel's part in the deal. But that may not happen now.