Gaza City: Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza on Thursday, signaling that the current crisis threatening to derail the deal could still be averted. The announcement comes amid growing uncertainty over the release of hostages and disagreements over humanitarian aid distribution.
The 42-day ceasefire, brokered last month with mediation from Egypt and Qatar and backed by the United States, has faced significant challenges, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the terms. However, Hamas stated that it does not wish for the agreement to collapse, despite what it described as “threats and intimidation” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that the truce would end if hostages were not freed as scheduled.
“Accordingly, Hamas reaffirms its commitment to implementing the agreement as signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timeline,” the group declared in a statement.
Hamas’s Gaza chief leader, Khalil Al-Hayya, is currently in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian security officials, with both Egyptian and Qatari mediators actively working to resolve disputes and ensure the ceasefire remains in place.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas signalled that a crisis threatening to unravel the Gaza ceasefire deal could be avoided despite uncertainty over the number of hostages due to be released and disagreements over aid supplies https://t.co/8h54yia7Hh pic.twitter.com/vtcNC1VMhf
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 13, 2025
Hostage Release and Israeli Response
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer stated that for the ceasefire to continue, Hamas must release three hostages—alive—on Saturday. However, Hamas accused Israel of failing to uphold its commitments, particularly regarding humanitarian aid. The group asserted that it would not proceed with the scheduled release until the aid issue was addressed.
In response, Netanyahu ordered military reserves to be called up and warned that combat operations, which have been on pause for nearly a month, could resume unless the hostages were returned.
Israeli minister Avi Dichter, a member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, expressed skepticism that Hamas could avoid fulfilling its obligations. “There’s a deal, they won’t be able to give anything less than what is in the deal,” he said in a radio interview. “I don’t believe that Hamas can behave otherwise.”
Meanwhile, Egyptian security sources indicated to Reuters that heavy construction equipment was expected to enter Gaza on Thursday. If this occurs, they believe Hamas will proceed with the hostage release as planned.
Aid Dispute and Humanitarian Challenges
The Cairo negotiations have centered on key humanitarian provisions, including Israel’s allowance of mobile homes, tents, medical and fuel supplies, and heavy machinery for clearing debris. Hamas has criticized Israel for restricting these aid deliveries, arguing that the current flow remains insufficient.
Salama Marouf, head of the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza, reported that only 73,000 out of the 200,000 required tents had arrived, and no mobile homes had been permitted. In contrast, COGAT, the Israeli military agency overseeing aid deliveries, stated that 400,000 tents had been allowed in, and that countries responsible for providing mobile homes had yet to send them.
International aid officials confirmed that assistance is entering Gaza despite logistical hurdles but stressed that the scale of relief remains inadequate. “We have seen improvement in some ways, but certainly, the response is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of so many people who face so much destruction and loss,” said Shaina Low, an official with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Amman, Jordan.
Ceasefire Uncertainty and Regional Concerns
Further complicating the ceasefire talks, tensions escalated following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that Palestinians should be relocated from Gaza for redevelopment as a waterfront property under U.S. control. The comments sparked widespread condemnation across the Arab world and added another layer of uncertainty to the fragile truce.
So far, Hamas has released 16 Israeli hostages as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which initially agreed on an exchange involving 33 Israeli children, women, and elderly men for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas also unexpectedly released five Thai hostages.
Negotiations for a second phase, which were supposed to address the release of remaining hostages and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have stalled. Israeli representatives, who arrived in Doha for talks, left just two days later, signaling setbacks in the mediation process.
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Mounting Pressure and Ongoing Conflict
The potential collapse of the ceasefire has triggered mass protests in Israel, with thousands urging the government to uphold the deal in hopes of securing the release of remaining hostages.
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in at least 1,200 deaths and more than 250 hostages being taken, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent military response has devastated Gaza, with Palestinian health officials reporting over 48,000 fatalities in the besieged enclave.
As mediators push forward with efforts to salvage the ceasefire, the risk of renewed hostilities looms, threatening to plunge the region into deeper turmoil.
