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Public pressure mounts on Israeli government as ceasefire deal falters
There’s a lot of anxiety in Israel – not from the government, but from the families of Israeli captives and the opposition, who are accusing the Israeli prime minister of trying to undermine and completely derail the ceasefire agreement, which they view as their only hope of seeing their loved ones returned.
The discussions in Israeli media centre on the fact that Israeli intelligence says Hamas took this step [to suspend the release of captives] because it doesn’t see that Israel is serious about entering phase two of the ceasefire deal and was really alarmed by statements from the White House.
Netanyahu had made a point to signal that he doesn’t really see the need to move past phase one.
Now there are protests on the streets [in Israel], but it is not clear whether the security cabinet that will meet later on today is going to be affected by this kind of public pressure.
Netanyahu threatens to resume fighting in Gaza if captives aren’t released Saturday
If Hamas does not return the captives by Saturday at noon, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian armed group will end and fighting will resume, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says.
“The military will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” he said in a video statement. Speaking after a four-hour cabinet meeting, the Israeli leader also said he ordered Israeli troops to gather “inside and around the Gaza Strip”.
His comments came after Hamas said on Monday it would not free any more captives until further notice, accusing Israel of violating the terms with several deadly shootings as well as hold-ups of some aid deliveries in Gaza.
Israeli army boosts forces to prepare for ‘various scenarios’
The Israeli military says it decided to “further strengthen” forces including mobilising additional reservists in the country’s south. “The reinforcement of forces and the mobilization of reserves were carried out to prepare for various scenarios,” said a statement.
The comments come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to resume “intense fighting” in Gaza should Hamas refuse to release captives by Saturday at noon.
Hamas won’t make deadline to release ‘all’ captives: Trump
The US president says he does not think Hamas will make a Saturday deadline to release “all” Israeli captives, putting a Gaza ceasefire deal in jeopardy.
Speaking to reporters before a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Trump also said Palestinians will be able to live safely in a location that is not Gaza.
‘Hell worse than what we have already?’
People in Gaza are criticising President Trump for saying he’d be prepared for “all hell” to break out if all remaining Israeli captives are not released by Hamas by noon on 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 in southern Gaza, standing beside devastated homes.
Israel’s 16-month war on Gaza has killed 48,219 people and wounded 111,665, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
Gaza ceasefire must be fully implemented without new conditions: EU
The Gaza truce deal must be adhered to as stipulated, without new conditions, the EU special representative for the Middle East peace process says.
“The Gaza ceasefire has brought the beginnings of relief, freedom and hope for safety to countless suffering, innocent people,” Sven Koopmans wrote on X. “It must be implemented in full and without new conditions.”
Koopmans warned that more war would only mean more man-made tragedy for the people of Gaza.
The comments come after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, echoing statements from US President Trump, said that all Israeli captives must be released by Saturday.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, captives have been released by Hamas in small numbers each week.
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