Hamas announced on Thursday that it will proceed with its original agreement with Israel to release more hostages on Saturday.
As part of the ceasefire, Hamas had initially agreed to release three more hostages this weekend. However, it threatened to indefinitely postpone any further releases, claiming that Israel violated the agreement.
‘We are not interested in the collapse of the ceasefire agreement.’
According to Abu Obeida, a Hamas spokesperson, these violations included delaying “allowing the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with direct shelling and gunfire in various areas across Gaza, and denying relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed.”
“Therefore, the release of the Zionist prisoners next Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and provides compensation for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively,” Obeida remarked. “We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement, as long as the occupation remains committed to them.”
In response, President Donald Trump warned that he would “let all hell break out” if the terrorist group did not release all the remaining hostages by noon on Saturday.
“I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump said. “If they’re not returned — all of them, not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two — by Saturday at 12 o’clock. And after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to echo this sentiment, stating that his country would resume “intense fighting” if Hamas refused to release more of the hostages.
“We will continue to take determined and ruthless action until we return all of our hostages — the living and the deceased,” Netanyahu declared.
The warnings from Trump and Netanyahu appear to have pressured Hamas into agreeing once again to conduct the scheduled Saturday swap.
The Associated Press reported that a Hamas spokesperson confirmed the group would release three hostages this weekend.
Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua, a spokesperson for the terrorist group, stated, “We are not interested in the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and we are keen on its implementation and ensuring that the occupation [Israel] adheres to it fully.”
“The language of threats and intimidation used by Trump and Netanyahu does not serve the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,” he added.
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News, Hamas, Israel, Israel hamas war, Donald trump, Trump, Benjamin netanyahu, Netanyahu, Politics
