Hamas announced on Monday that it would halt the release of Israeli hostages until further notice, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. The move raises concerns about the fragile truce, as the families of the hostages call on the government to maintain the deal, while Gazans begin rebuilding in the devastated enclave.
Hamas was scheduled to release more Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as part of a deal that had been in effect for the past three weeks. However, Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, alleging delays in the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, Israeli shelling, gunfire, and halting aid to the strip.
The ceasefire, which began on January 19, has largely held despite some incidents of Palestinian deaths at the hands of Israeli forces. Humanitarian aid to Gaza has increased since the truce, according to aid agencies. However, Hamas claims that Israel’s violations must be addressed before the next release of hostages occurs.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz responded by saying that Hamas’ announcement violated the ceasefire and that the military was on high alert in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office also held security consultations, and the security cabinet is set to meet to discuss the matter.
Two Egyptian security sources expressed concerns that the ceasefire could collapse, and mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt are at risk. The families of the hostages urged mediators to prevent the breakdown of the deal, while some military veterans accused the government of intentionally undermining the ceasefire.
So far, 16 of the 33 hostages due for release have been freed, alongside five Thai hostages. In exchange, Israel has released hundreds of prisoners. Despite accusations from both sides about the implementation of the deal, progress on further stages of the ceasefire remains slow.
