The ceasefire agreement on Gaza is threatened as Senior Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that Hamas is “committed” to implementing the previously agreed schedule of the hostage deal and that they will not release “all” Israeli hostages on Saturday.
Abu Zuhri’s comments likely came as part of a larger statement to Al Jazeera regarding Hamas’s views towards the potential breakdown of the ceasefire agreement.
Both Israeli and US officials, including President Donald Trump and Defense Minister Israel Katz, threatened that “all hell will break loose” if all Israelis are not released by Saturday at 12:00 local time.
There is growing concern that fighting could resume in Gaza after Israel’s prime minister warned Hamas it would end the ceasefire if the Palestinian armed group “does not return our hostages by Saturday”.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet met on Tuesday after Hamas said it was postponing freeing more hostages until further notice, claiming Israel had violated the terms of the three-week-old ceasefire deal.
It remains unclear whether Netanyahu is demanding the release of all 76 remaining hostages, or just the three due to be freed this Saturday.
Hamas responded by saying it remained committed to the ceasefire deal and that Israel was “responsible for any complications or delays”.
The group has demanded mediators address its list of complaints against Israel, including blocking vital humanitarian aid such as tents – a claim Israel has denied.
It is understood Arab countries are exerting pressure on Hamas to try to get the deal back on track.
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Hamas’s decision to delay this weekend’s scheduled release had prompted Trump to propose Israel cancel the agreement altogether and “let hell break out” unless “all of the hostages” were returned by Saturday.
Following a four-hour meeting of Israel’s security cabinet on Tuesday, Netanyahu said in a video statement that he “welcomed President Trump’s demand”.
He added: “In light of Hamas’s announcement regarding its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, last night I instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to amass forces inside – and surrounding – the Gaza Strip.
“This action is being carried out at this hour and will be completed very soon.
He then issued an ultimatum that he said had the security cabinet’s unanimous approval.
“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon [10:00 GMT], the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas.”
There were conflicting messages from Israeli officials about whether Netanyahu meant Hamas should release all the remaining hostages or not.
One source told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz it would be willing to continue the ceasefire if the next group of three hostages were freed as planned on Saturday.
There were then reports that it was a demand to free the nine living hostages remaining from the first phase of the deal.
But later, transport minister and war cabinet member Miri Regev wrote on X: “We made a very clear decision: we adhere to US President Donald Trump’s statement regarding the release of the hostages – on Saturday, everyone will be released!”
The IDF meanwhile said it had raised the level of readiness of its Southern Command – which is responsible for operations in Gaza – and that it would be reinforced with additional troops, including reservists.
Some Israeli analysts suggest Israel is trying to do a complicated manoeuvre: showing loyalty to the White House and not collapsing the deal.
They say it is still possible Israel and Hamas can reach a compromise through mediators on this weekend’s scheduled round of hostage releases.
Reported by Israeli Post
