Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that if Hamas does not release hostages by midday on Saturday, Israel will resume military operations in Gaza. “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday afternoon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until Hamas is defeated,” Netanyahu stated, as reported by Reuters.
The warning came after a high-level meeting was conducted between important ministers in foreign affairs, defense, and national security. In retaliation, Hamas restated its commitment to the ceasefire and has accused Israel of violations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned external pressures, mentioning, ‘’Trump must remember there is an agreement that should be respected by both the parties and this only way to bring back the prisoners.’’
The ceasefire which was initially decided for 42 days has witnessed Hamas freeing 16 out of 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. However, tensions continue to be high because of the uncertainty of whether Netanyahu’s warning is related to all the remaining hostages or is for those who are likely to be released by Saturday.
Former US President Donald Trump, who is a strong supporter of Israel, has also put pressure on Hamas and has cautioned that he would ‘’let hell break out’’ if hostages were not released. However, his controversial suggestion to shift more than 2 million Palestinians and transform Gaza into the ‘’Riviera of the Middle East’’ has ignited widespread opposition.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening as over 48,000 Palestinians have lost their lives and around Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are displaced. Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich along with other right-wing leaders has announced full military control if Hamas does not adhere to the ceasefire deal.
Trump’s comment for many people in Gaza has been met with disbelief. ‘’Hell worse than what we have already? The destruction and human crimes in Gaza has not taken place anywhere else in the world,’’ stated Jomaa Abu Kosh, a Palestinian to Reuters.