TEL AVIV, Israel — The militant group Hamas said Monday it would postpone the release of the next group of Israeli hostages scheduled for this Saturday over accusations of Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement, imperiling the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas' announcement comes as President Trump said in a Fox News interview posted online Monday that Palestinians would not be allowed to return to Gaza under his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza and relocate the enclave's residents.
It is the most serious challenge to a monthlong ceasefire that has seen Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, accused Israel of violating the terms of the deal and said the next release of hostages would be postponed until Israel adheres to the agreement. He said Israel is "delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the strip, and not allowing relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed upon."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Hamas announcement "is a complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the hostage release deal," and ordered the military "to prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to ensure the protection of Israeli communities."
In response to the Hamas announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the country's security chiefs and called a Tuesday morning meeting with his Cabinet, according to an Israeli official with knowledge of the subject who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Hamas said it remained committed to the agreement and postponing the release of hostages was a "warning" to Israel to adhere to the deal's terms.
In the initial stage of the ceasefire agreement, a total of 33 Israeli hostages are to be freed by the end of this month in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Sixteen of those hostages have already been freed in recent weeks, and three more were to be released by Hamas this Saturday. More than 70 hostages are currently held by Hamas, many of whom are believed to be dead, according to Israel.
A group advocating for the release of all hostages said they had "urgently requested assistance from the mediating countries to help restore and implement the existing deal effectively." The Hostages and Missing Families Forum added that they stood by the Israeli government and that they "encourage maintaining the conditions" to free all the remaining hostages.
Three male hostages released last Saturday appeared gaunt and frail, and Israelis reacted with anger and horror at their appearance. Some Palestinians released by Israel on Saturday also appeared gaunt, and seven were taken to hospitals.
In exchange for the Israeli hostages, 670 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been freed from Israeli jails so far. Five Thai hostages were also released. They had been working in Israel as agricultural laborers, and were not part of the deal.
The next stage of the deal is supposed to see additional hostages released for prisoners and a further withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, played a key role in persuading Netanyahu to accept the ceasefire's first phase, which began on Jan. 19.
The Israeli leader's far-right allies, however, have threatened to bring down the government if Israel does not resume the war in Gaza and eliminate Hamas rule there.
Hamas has long accused Netanyahu of creating obstacles in the deal. Netanyhu and his allies have, in turn, accused Hamas of demanding changes to agreements already made.
The U.S. has been helping mediate the talks, alongside Egypt and Qatar, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel and key Arab states — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — this week, the State Department said.
President Trump's plans to have the U.S. take over Gaza and relocate the nearly 2 million Palestinians elsewhere have invited the ire of Hamas' leadership in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, as well as rejection from regional leaders and many U.S allies.
Egypt announced Sunday it would host a summit of Arab leaders later in the month, amid alarm in the region over President Trump's proposals.
Most of the hostages on the list of 33 were among the more than 250 people captured during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which led to the war in Gaza.
Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack, according to Israeli officials, while more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials in the enclave.
Nuha Musleh in Ramallah, West Bank, Itay Stern in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Ahmed Abuhamda in Cairo contributed to this report.
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad