Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday threatened to withdraw from the Gaza ceasefire deal if the militant group Hamas delays the next scheduled release of the hostages on Saturday, reported AP. He issued a stern warning, vowing to resume fighting in the Gaza Strip if his demands are not met.
The development comes after Hamas on Monday and Tuesday shared their intentions to not go ahead with the scheduled release of three more hostages claiming Israel’s non-abiding by the ceasefire terms. Hamas also accused Netanyahu of not providing sufficient aid and tents to Gaza.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump has urged Israel to scrap the ceasefire if all 70 remaining hostages are not released by Saturday. However, Netanyahu’s threat does not specify if he wanted Hamas to release all remaining hostages or the three scheduled release.
Netanyahu has ordered the military to deploy more troops in and around Gaza, an Israeli official said Tuesday. He also directed officials to be prepared for ‘every scenario’ if Hamas fails to release the remaining hostages by Saturday, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, Israel signaled plans to strengthen defenses along the Gaza border. The decision came after a four-hour Security Cabinet meeting focused on Hamas’ threats, which could derail the three-week-old ceasefire.
So far, Hamas has freed 21 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
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