The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, announced on Monday that the release of Israeli hostages, initially scheduled for Saturday, has been delayed indefinitely due to Israel’s “violations” of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
In a statement on Telegram, Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida explained that the group’s leadership had been monitoring Israeli actions over the past three weeks, highlighting several violations. These included delays in allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, continued shelling and gunfire in various areas, and obstruction of humanitarian aid entry—all actions Hamas claims violate the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The spokesperson emphasized that Hamas had fully honored its commitments.
“As long as Israel adheres to the agreement,” Abu Obaida stated, “the release of the Israeli prisoners will proceed, but for now, it will be postponed until further notice.”
In response, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, labeled the Hamas announcement as an “outright violation” of the truce. He ordered the Israeli military to be on the highest level of alert for any potential developments in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli families with loved ones held hostage in Gaza have called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to avoid obstructing the ongoing prisoner exchange agreement. They have appealed to the mediating countries, including Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, to ensure the deal’s swift and effective implementation.
The truce, which has been in place since January 19, aims to halt the ongoing violence in Gaza, which has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths. Under the current agreement, a series of Israeli hostages are scheduled for release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The sixth swap was planned for this week.
The ceasefire deal follows the widespread destruction caused by Israeli military actions in Gaza, and Israel faces international scrutiny, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice related to its conduct in the region.
