Israel warned on Tuesday it would restart its military campaign in Gaza this weekend if Hamas doesn’t release hostages as agreed under the ceasefire deal.
This warning came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his security team. Just a day earlier, Hamas had said it would delay freeing more hostages, claiming Israel wasn’t following the terms of their agreement. This deal had taken more than 15 months to negotiate, with help from the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
Netanyahu gave Hamas until noon on Saturday to free the hostages. “The ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense combat until Hamas is decisively defeated,” he said, using the short name for Israel’s military.
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Netanyahu didn’t make it clear whether he wanted Hamas to release just the three hostages planned for this weekend, or all nine people thought to be still alive who were meant to be freed in the first part of the deal.
He also said he supported President Trump’s Monday statement demanding hostages be freed by Saturday and praised what he called Trump’s “revolutionary vision for Gaza’s future.”
Hamas announced they were delaying the hostage release around the same time Trump said in a Fox News interview that Palestinians wouldn’t be allowed back to Gaza under his plan. Trump suggested the US would take control of Gaza and move its residents elsewhere.
Hamas claims Israel hasn’t allowed them to bring in temporary shelters, tents, equipment to clear rubble and fuel – all things they say were promised in the ceasefire agreement. Israel controls everything that comes into Gaza.
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