JERUSALEM:
Israel threatened to repeat “intense battles” on Gaza on Tuesday if hostages were not released this weekend, reflecting a warning by US President Donald Trump who has stretched the fragile truce deal.
Trump, who has received credit to secure the agreement in force last month, said “hell” would break out if Hamas failed to release “all” Israeli hostages by Saturday.
As he hosted King Abdulla of Jordan in the White House on Tuesday, Trump was asked if his deadline was still being held and said “yes”.
According to the terms of the ceasefire, which has largely stopped more than 15 months in Gaza, hostages will be circulated in batches in exchange for Palestinians in custody by Israeli. So far, Israel and Hamas have completed five hostage prison exchanges.
But the agreement has undergone increasing pressure in recent days, causing diplomatic efforts to rescue it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday at noon, the ceasefire will end and the IDF (Israeli army) will repeat intense battles until Hamas wins.”
The tensions, which initially increased after Trump, suggested last month to take over Gaza and remove more than two million inhabitants, have increased after his last comments.
“As for me, if all hostages are not returned until Saturday 12 in the morning … I would say to cancel it and all the bets are away and let the hell break out,” Trump said on Monday.
Hamas’s senior leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, said Trump’s observation “complicates further issues”.
“Trump must remember that there is a deal that must be respected by both parties and this is the only way to return” hostages, he told AFP.
His team said he would postpone the next hostage release scheduled for Saturday, accusing Israel of violating the deal and called on it to fulfill its obligations. UN leader Antonio Guts called on Hamas to proceed with the scheduled liberation.
“We must avoid the repetition of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to huge tragedy,” said Huthi Rebels of X. Yemen, who are in line with Hamas and have started attacks throughout the war to support the Palestinians, He said on Tuesday on Tuesday they were “ready to start a military intervention at any time in the event of a gradient against Gaza”.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza, Hamas, says the war has killed at least 48,218 people in the territory, estimates that the UN considers reliable.
A UN report issued on Tuesday said more than $ 53 billion should rebuild Gaza and end the “humanitarian disaster” in the devastating territory
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