Israel issued a stark warning to Hamas, demanding the release of three live hostages by Saturday or face a renewed war in Gaza. The ultimatum came amidst conflicting reports and accusations regarding the fragile ceasefire agreement.
Israel issued a stark warning on Thursday, demanding that Hamas release three living hostages by Saturday or face a resumption of the war in Gaza . This ultimatum came after Hamas , the Palestinian militant group, stated its commitment to the ceasefire agreement, despite claiming that Israel had violated its terms.
Palestinian sources indicated progress in efforts to salvage the fragile truce, which teetered on the brink of collapse when Hamas announced it would not release hostages on Saturday, citing Israeli transgressions. Israel, however, countered by asserting that if Hamas failed to free their captives as scheduled, they would restart military operations. 'We are keen to implement it and oblige the occupation to fully abide by it,' Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou stated, adding that mediators were urging Israel to resume the exchange process on Saturday. Hamas maintained its commitment to proceed with the next exchange 'according to the specified timetable.' Israel later insisted that Hamas must release 'three live hostages' on Saturday under the agreed-upon ceasefire framework. 'If those three are not released, if Hamas does not return our hostages, by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end,' declared government spokesman David Mencer.Hamas has previously accused Israel of hindering the delivery of heavy machinery crucial for clearing war debris. On Thursday, a line of bulldozers gathered at Egypt's Rafah border crossing with Gaza, prepared to enter the war-torn Palestinian territory. Egyptian state-linked media reported that heavy equipment and trucks carrying mobile homes were ready to cross, but Israel subsequently announced that they would not be permitted to enter via the Rafah crossing.Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the United Nations' infrastructure agency (UNOPS), visited Gaza on Thursday and observed 'immense human suffering' despite the ceasefire, along with 'massive destruction' and an overwhelming volume of rubble. US President Donald Trump issued a grave warning this week, stating that 'hell' would break loose if Hamas failed to release 'all' remaining hostages by noon on Saturday. If fighting reignites, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz asserted, 'the new Gaza war... will not end without the defeat of Hamas and the release of all the hostages.'Trump's return to the White House has emboldened the Israeli far right, sparking global condemnation with his proposal for the United States to take control of Gaza and displace its 2.4 million residents to Egypt or Jordan. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels threatened on Thursday to launch fresh attacks on Israel if it and its ally, the United States, pursued Trump's plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.The ceasefire's initial six-week phase has witnessed the release of Israeli captives in small groups in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli custody. Both sides, yet to reach an agreement on subsequent phases of the truce, have engaged in accusations of violations, raising concerns that the violence could resume. Notably, on Thursday, for the first time since the truce commenced, Israel's military reported identifying a rocket launch from Gaza. The rocket landed back within Palestinian territory, and the military subsequently claimed to have struck the launcher.Analyst Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group stated that despite their public disagreements, Israel and Hamas continue to be interested in maintaining the ceasefire and have not 'given up on anything yet.'In Israel, dozens of relatives of hostages held in Gaza blocked a highway near Tel Aviv, displaying banners and demanding adherence to the ceasefire terms, according to an AFP photographer. Trump's proposal for Gaza and the relocation of its more than two million residents to Jordan or Egypt would, according to experts, violate international law. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has characterized it as 'revolutionary.' Hamas called for worldwide 'solidarity marches' over the weekend to denounce 'the plans to displace our Palestinian people from their land.'Defense Minister Katz last week directed the Israeli army to prepare for 'voluntary' departures from Gaza. The military confirmed that it had already begun reinforcing its troops around the territory. Trump reaffirmed his Saturday deadline for hostage release while hosting Jordan's King Abdullah II on Tuesday. In a phone call Wednesday, Abdullah and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed their unity in supporting the 'full implementation' of the ceasefire and their opposition to Palestinian displacement.'Who is Trump? Is he God almighty? The land of Jordan is for Jordanians, and the land of Egypt belongs to Egyptians,' stated Gaza City resident Abu Mohamed al-Husari. Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 hostages, of whom 73 remain in Gaza, including at least 35 that the Israeli military says are deceased. Israel's retaliatory campaign has claimed at least 48,239 lives in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry considered reliable by the UN.
HAMAS ISRAEL CEASEFIRE HOSTAGES GAZA WAR TRUMP UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LAW
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Displaced Gaza residents head home through rubble as Israel-Hamas truce beginsThousands war-weary Gazans set off across the devastated Palestinian territory to return to their home areas on Sunday, after a long-awaited truce between Israel and Hamas took effect.
Read more »
Hamas Releases Hostages, Israel Opens Gaza Crossings for Displaced PalestiniansTens of thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in northern Gaza on Monday after Israel opened roadblocks following an agreement with Hamas for the release of hostages.
Read more »
Hamas, Israel complete fifth hostage-prisoner swap under Gaza dealIsrael and Hamas completed their fifth hostage-prisoner swap under a fragile Gaza ceasefire deal on Saturday.
Read more »
Hamas says Israel withdraws from key Gaza roadA Hamas official said Israeli troops completed their withdrawal on Sunday from a strategic road cutting through the Gaza Strip.
Read more »
Israel says to resume Gaza fighting if hostages not freed SaturdayUnder the terms of the truce, which has largely halted more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza, captives were to be released in batches in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. So far, Israel and Hamas have completed five hostage-prisoner swaps.
Read more »
Hamas Warns Trump's Gaza Threat Complicates Fragile CeasefireA fragile ceasefire in Gaza is increasingly threatened after Hamas warned that US President Donald Trump's ultimatum for the release of all Israeli hostages by Saturday complicates the agreement. Trump's statement has raised tensions, which were already heightened by his previous proposal to relocate Gaza's population. Hamas insists on the agreement's implementation and accuses Israel of not fulfilling its commitments, while Israel condemns Hamas's postponement of the hostage release.
Read more »