Hamas threatened to postpone the next hostage release, set to take place on Saturday, “until further notice” over Israeli violations of the Gaza ceasefire deal, reported CNN.
In response, Israel has put its military on alert, and the US President, Donald Trump, threatened that “all hell will break out” if Hamas does not return all the remaining hostages by Saturday 12:00 pm.
Breaking Gaza Ceasefire Deal
On Monday, the spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing the Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, shared a post on X announcing that the handover of the hostages that was scheduled to take place next Saturday “will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and compensates for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively.”
The spokesperson emphasized Hamas’ commitment to the ceasefire terms “as long as the occupation commits to them.” In a later statement, Hamas said that the hostage handover can “proceed as planned” if Israel complies with the agreement terms, adding that the move aims to serve as a “warning” to pressure Israel to fulfill its obligations.
According to Hamas’ spokesperson, the Israeli violations include “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and not allowing the entry of relief supplies in all their forms according to what was agreed upon.”
Israeli Military on Alert
In response to Hamas’ announcement, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, ordered his country’s military to “prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza.” He also called Hamas’ move a “complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages.”
Moreover, the Israeli military announced it was “raising its level of readiness in southern Israel and postponing leaves for combat soldiers,” adding that it would reinforce the area to boost its “readiness for various scenarios.”
Trump Threatens ‘Hell’ in Gaza
The US President escalated his threats against Hamas, urging Israel to scrap the ceasefire agreement in Gaza if hostages do not return by Saturday noon. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said: “As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out.”
Trump insisted that he wants all hostages to be released by that deadline or “all hell is going to break out.” The US President declined to clarify what he means by “all hell,” saying “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out — Hamas will find out what I mean.” He also expressed skepticism over how many hostages are still alive. “I think a lot of the hostages are dead,” he said.
Controversial Remarks
Trump has sparked controversy with his remarks over displacing the people of Gaza and resettling them in neighboring countries, a proposal categorically rejected by the Palestinians and Arab countries.
After a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on February 4, 2025, the US President floated the idea of the US taking over the Gaza Strip and redeveloping it into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” after resettling Gaza’s 2.2 million population in other countries, including Jordan and Egypt. Furthermore, Netanyahu suggested that Palestinians can establish their state on Saudi territory.
These statements have been met with strong regional and global condemnation. The UN and human rights advocates described these plans as a “proposal of ethnic cleansing,” according to Reuters.
However, Trump reiterated his Gaza proposal, saying that Palestinians will not have the right to return to the Strip. In an interview with Fox News, the US President was asked whether the Palestinians would have the right to return. Trump replied: “No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing. I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”
Trump’s remarks contradicted those of his officials who tried to soften his proposal by saying that he was suggesting a temporary relocation of Palestinians until the completion of Gaza reconstruction.
Arab Firm Position
In response to Trump’s plan, Arab countries expressed firm rejection to the displacement of Gaza’s people, stressing their unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to an independent state on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also warned that any plans to displace Palestinians from their lands would destabilize the region.
On Monday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, met with the US Secretary of State, Mark Rubio, in Washington. Abdelatty told Rubio that Arab countries support Palestinians and their legitimate rights to an independent state on their territory, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
Moreover, Cairo will host an emergency Arab Summit on February 27, 2025 to discuss the latest and “serious” developments of the Palestinian issue.
