Hamas announced it will delay the release of hostages, placing the responsibility on Israel. 3 hours earlier. Environmental Protection Agency. Raffi Berg and Ruth Comerford. BBC News. A representative from Hamas’s military faction announced that the next planned release of Israeli hostages is being delayed, attributing the decision to alleged breaches of the ceasefire agreement by Israel. Three hostages currently in Gaza were set to be released on Saturday in return for additional Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel. Abu Obeida stated that the hostage releases will be put on hold until Israel meets its commitments. He indicated that violations included postponing the return of displaced Palestinians to the north, opening fire on individuals, and obstructing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza “in all its agreed forms.” Israel’s defense minister labeled the announcement as “a complete breach of the ceasefire agreement.” Defense Minister Israel Katz mentioned that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to be on high alert for any possible situations in Gaza and to safeguard the communities. “We will not permit a return to the situation of 7 October [2023],” when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, which initiated the war. Hamas made its announcement just before a gathering in Tel Aviv to celebrate the 24th birthday of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, marking his second birthday in captivity. He was abducted from the Nova festival on 7 October 2023. Mia Goldstein, who attended the rally for Ohel, told the BBC that there should be “immense pressure” to secure the release of other hostages, emphasizing that Hamas’s delay is “horrifying.” Michal Neeman, who participated in a protest in Tel Aviv following Hamas’s announcement, stated that the hostages “should have been released months ago.” “You can see the dire situation; they are perishing, and this government bears responsibility for their blood,” stated Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for the United Nations. He emphasized that any “delays” to the fragile ceasefire agreement would pose a significant problem and urged all involved parties to stick to their announced agreements and timelines. Meanwhile, Hamas mentioned that the “door remains open” for an exchange to take place on Saturday, provided that Israel “complies,” as reported by AFP. Hamas’ assertions from Monday claimed that Israel is “postponing the return of displaced individuals to northern Gaza,” “attacking them with shelling and gunfire in various areas,” and violating the settlement concerning aid supplies. However, this announcement did not mention Donald Trump or US policy; it follows strong comments made by the US president last week about the US’s potential role in Gaza’s ownership and redevelopment. Trump’s proposal included relocating Palestinians outside the region, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described as “revolutionary and creative.” This statement from Hamas marks another instance in the ongoing exchange of accusations between the two parties. Israel had delayed by two days the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, citing Hamas’s failure to adhere to its promise to release a female Israeli hostage. Additionally, Israel recently postponed the transfer of buses carrying Palestinian prisoners to be released into the occupied West Bank after expressing displeasure with the process in which hostages were released amidst crowds in Gaza earlier. On Friday, Hamas missed the deadline by a short time to provide the names of hostages to be released on Saturday, a requirement of the ceasefire, raising concerns in Israel. This followed accusations against Israel for not fulfilling its promise to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which contradicted the characterization by the UN’s humanitarian chief of a “massive surge.” Since the ceasefire commenced on January 3rd, 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released in exchange for 566 prisoners. By the conclusion of the first phase of the ceasefire in three weeks, it is anticipated that 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners will have been released.
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