Israel warns it may violate Gaza ceasefire
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set a deadline for Hamas, insisting that Israeli hostages be released by noon on Saturday. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set a deadline for Hamas, demanding the release of Israeli hostages by noon on Saturday. He cautioned that if this demand is not met, Israel will end the current ceasefire and initiate "intense" military actions in the Gaza Strip.
In recent weeks, Hamas has released 21 captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. However, on Monday, the group threatened to stop further exchanges, accusing Israel of violating the terms of their agreement by obstructing displaced Palestinians' return to northern Gaza, limiting aid deliveries, and stalling the negotiations for the ceasefire's second phase.
Netanyahu's announcement came after a four-hour Security Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, during which he and his ministers unanimously agreed to resume full-scale military operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to meet the deadline.
“In light of Hamas’s announcement regarding its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, last night I instructed the IDF to amass forces inside and surrounding the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu stated.
He added, "If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas." However, he did not clarify whether he anticipated the release of all hostages or just the three scheduled for exchange on Saturday.
This ultimatum mirrored a similar warning issued by President Donald Trump on Monday. The U.S. President indicated that if all hostages are not freed by Saturday, “all bets are off” and “all hell is going to break out” in Gaza.
During a recent meeting with Netanyahu, Trump proposed the possibility of the U.S. taking control of the Palestinian enclave with the goal of transforming it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” As part of this plan, he suggested relocating Palestinians from Gaza, which has suffered extensive destruction after 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, to neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt.
Following discussions with Trump on Tuesday, Jordan’s King Abdullah II reiterated his strong opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians, describing it as a “unified Arab position.” He emphasized that “rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”
Israel's military operations in Gaza were initiated after a Hamas cross-border attack in October 2023 that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 hostages taken. The Health Ministry in Gaza reports around 47,500 Palestinian deaths and over 111,500 injuries due to subsequent Israeli strikes, with UN data indicating that 90% of Gaza’s population has been internally displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Forcibly relocating Palestinians would constitute “ethnic cleansing” and a “crime against humanity,” Bassem Naim, head of Hamas’s political branch, told RTN in an interview on Friday.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
In recent weeks, Hamas has released 21 captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. However, on Monday, the group threatened to stop further exchanges, accusing Israel of violating the terms of their agreement by obstructing displaced Palestinians' return to northern Gaza, limiting aid deliveries, and stalling the negotiations for the ceasefire's second phase.
Netanyahu's announcement came after a four-hour Security Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, during which he and his ministers unanimously agreed to resume full-scale military operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to meet the deadline.
“In light of Hamas’s announcement regarding its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, last night I instructed the IDF to amass forces inside and surrounding the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu stated.
He added, "If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas." However, he did not clarify whether he anticipated the release of all hostages or just the three scheduled for exchange on Saturday.
This ultimatum mirrored a similar warning issued by President Donald Trump on Monday. The U.S. President indicated that if all hostages are not freed by Saturday, “all bets are off” and “all hell is going to break out” in Gaza.
During a recent meeting with Netanyahu, Trump proposed the possibility of the U.S. taking control of the Palestinian enclave with the goal of transforming it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” As part of this plan, he suggested relocating Palestinians from Gaza, which has suffered extensive destruction after 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, to neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt.
Following discussions with Trump on Tuesday, Jordan’s King Abdullah II reiterated his strong opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians, describing it as a “unified Arab position.” He emphasized that “rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”
Israel's military operations in Gaza were initiated after a Hamas cross-border attack in October 2023 that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 hostages taken. The Health Ministry in Gaza reports around 47,500 Palestinian deaths and over 111,500 injuries due to subsequent Israeli strikes, with UN data indicating that 90% of Gaza’s population has been internally displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Forcibly relocating Palestinians would constitute “ethnic cleansing” and a “crime against humanity,” Bassem Naim, head of Hamas’s political branch, told RTN in an interview on Friday.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
