JERUSALEM, Feb 11: Hamas said Monday it will delay the further release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after accusing Israel of violating a fragile ceasefire that now faces its most serious crisis since it began three weeks ago.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under heavy pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages after three Israelis freed Saturday came home emaciated after 16 months in captivity. Yet in a sign of the precarious nature of the truce, the Israeli military said late Monday it had cancelled leave for soldiers assigned to Gaza.
Hamas’ said its plan to delay the next hostage release “until further notice” depended on whether Israel “abides by its obligations.” The announcement came as Palestinians and the international community seethed over President Donald Trump’s recent comments that Palestinians from Gaza would not have a right to return under his proposal for the US to take over the war-torn territory.
In an effort to improve relations with the Trump administration, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday ended a controversial system that paid stipends to the families of Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted in deadly attacks on Israel. The US and Israel have said the so-called “martyrs fund” rewarded violence against Israel.
Israel and Hamas are in the midst of a six-week ceasefire during which Hamas has committed to releasing 33 hostages captured in its October 7, 2023, attack in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire’s first phase went into effect on January 19, freeing 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners. The next exchange, scheduled for Saturday, called for three more Israeli hostages to be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The war could resume in early March if no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of all remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce.
Threatening a fragile ceasefire deal
An Israeli official said Netanyahu was consulting security officials after the Hamas announcement. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Netanyahu also pushed forward a scheduled meeting of his Security Cabinet to Tuesday morning from later in the day.
In addition to cancelling leave for soldiers in Gaza, the Israeli military also said Monday it was bolstering defensive forces responsible for areas along the border with Gaza.
A judge granted Netanyahu’s request to postpone his testimony in an ongoing corruption trial on Tuesday due to the security situation.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Hamas’ plan to delay the next release of hostages was “a complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement and that he instructed the Israeli military to be on the highest level of alert. The prime minister’s coordinator for hostages said the Israeli government intends to live up to its end of the agreement.
Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said on social media that Israel has obstructed key provisions of the ceasefire by not allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, carrying out strikes across the territory and failing to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.
The group later put out a statement calling its planned postponement a “warning signal,” adding that “the door remains open for the exchange to proceed as planned if Israel abides by its obligations.”
The group representing many of the families of hostages called on mediating countries to prevent the deal from collapsing.
In Gaza, Palestinians fretted the possibility of the truce falling apart.
The ceasefire previously hit a snag when an Israeli female civilian held hostage wasn’t released as early as planned, and Israel delayed the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza for two days. Negotiators were able to find a solution, and the hostage, Arbel Yehoud, was eventually released with two other hostages.
Ceasefire be cancelled if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages by Saturday: Trump
Trump said Monday that a precarious ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas should be cancelled if Hamas doesn’t release all the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza by midday on Saturday – though he also said that such a decision would be up to Israel.
Trump was responding to Hamas saying it will delay the further release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after accusing Israel of violating the three-week-old ceasefire.
The US president said that after the freeing of three visibly emaciated hostages on Saturday it was time for Israel to demand the release of all hostages by noon on Saturday, or restart the war.
“If they’re not here, all hell is going to break out,” Trump said. He added of the ceasefire, “Cancel it, and all bets are off.”
Trump said the final decision would be up to Israel, saying, “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.”
But asked if the US would join in a response to Hamas if hostages weren’t freed, Trump added, “Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Those comments came after Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel that Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for “US’ ownership” of the war-torn territory – contradicting other officials in his administration who have sought to argue Trump was only calling for the temporary relocation of its population.
Less than a week after he floated his plan for the US to take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” Trump, in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier airing Monday, said “No, they wouldn’t” when asked if Palestinians in Gaza would have a right to return to the territory.
It comes as he has ramped up pressure on Arab states, especially US allies Jordan and Egypt, to take in Palestinians from Gaza, who claim the territory as part of a future homeland. (AP)