Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that the ceasefire in Gaza would be terminated, and military operations against Hamas would resume if the Palestinian militant group failed to release hostages by midday on Saturday.
Following Netanyahu’s ultimatum, Hamas issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire while accusing Israel of jeopardizing the agreement.
The announcement came after Netanyahu held discussions with key ministers, including those responsible for defense, foreign affairs, and national security, all of whom reportedly supported the ultimatum.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the ceasefire in Gaza would end if hostages were not released by Saturday. In response, Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire and accused Israel of jeopardizing it https://t.co/ws2W9AfZbR pic.twitter.com/FVQFEI1xBo
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 12, 2025
Ceasefire in Jeopardy Amid Hostage Dispute
After nearly 16 months of conflict, Hamas has been gradually releasing hostages as part of the ceasefire deal initiated on January 19. However, on Monday, the group stated it would halt further releases, alleging Israeli violations of the agreement.
“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” Netanyahu declared.
It remains unclear whether Netanyahu’s ultimatum applies to all hostages held in Gaza or only the three who were scheduled for release under the ceasefire terms. His office has not responded to media inquiries seeking clarification.
U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Israel, has also called for Hamas to release all hostages by Saturday.
Military Mobilization and Hamas Response
Netanyahu also ordered additional military forces to be positioned in and around Gaza. Shortly after his announcement, the Israeli military confirmed the deployment of additional units to southern Israel, including the mobilization of reservists.
A senior Hamas official dismissed the “language of threats” and emphasized that Israeli hostages would only be freed if the ceasefire was upheld.
“Trump must remember there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the (Israeli) prisoners,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire through deadly shootings, delays in aid deliveries, and restrictions on the return of Gazans to the northern part of the enclave. Israel, however, denies these accusations, stating that it has fired only at individuals who ignored warnings to stay away from military positions.
So far, 16 of the 33 hostages designated for release under the ceasefire deal’s first phase have been freed. An unscheduled release also saw five Thai hostages set free. In return, Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted of deadly attacks and others held without charge during the war.
An Israeli group representing hostage families urged Netanyahu to adhere to the ceasefire agreement.
“We must not go backwards. We cannot allow the hostages to waste away in captivity,” the Hostages Forum stated.
Israeli media reports indicate that 76 hostages remain in Gaza, with over 35 presumed dead.
Trump’s Gaza Resettlement Proposal Sparks Controversy
The war has left Gaza, one of the world’s most densely populated areas, in a humanitarian crisis, with severe shortages of food, water, and shelter. The region requires billions of dollars in foreign aid to rebuild.
The Gaza health ministry reports that more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, and nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced.
Israel launched its military campaign following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and the capture of approximately 250 hostages.
Amid ongoing hostilities, Trump proposed that the U.S. should take control of Gaza and relocate over 2 million Palestinians, envisioning the enclave as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Netanyahu endorsed the plan, which was subsequently approved by Israel’s security cabinet on Tuesday.
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Trump’s proposal has triggered outrage among Palestinians and Arab leaders, marking a sharp shift from decades of U.S. policy that advocated for a two-state solution.
The forced displacement of a population under military occupation is considered a war crime under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Global Backlash Against Trump’s Plan
Trump reiterated his stance during a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Washington, suggesting that Palestinians could be resettled in “a parcel of land in Jordan, Egypt, and someplace else.”
Egypt rejected any such proposal, with state-affiliated Al Qahera News reporting that Cairo had no intention of allocating land for displaced Gazans.
North Korean state media also condemned Trump’s proposal, accusing Washington of extortion.
“The world is now boiling like a porridge pot over the U.S.’ bombshell declaration,” North Korea’s KCNA stated.
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Many Palestinians fear a repeat of the Nakba (“catastrophe”), referring to the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s creation. Israel denies that Palestinians were forcibly expelled.
For Jordan, Trump’s proposal revives long-standing fears of a mass expulsion of Palestinians from both Gaza and the West Bank, echoing Israeli ultra-nationalist calls for Jordan to become an alternative Palestinian homeland.
Gazans interviewed by Reuters dismissed Trump’s warning of further conflict if Israeli hostages were not freed by Saturday.
“Hell worse than what we have already? Hell worse than killing? The destruction, all the practices and human crimes that have occurred in the Gaza Strip have not happened anywhere else in the world,” said Jomaa Abu Kosh, a Palestinian from Rafah, standing amid demolished homes.
