Mediators Qatar and Egypt were pushing to resolve a crisis in the Gaza ceasefire on Wednesday, a Palestinian source said, after Israel and the United States told Hamas to release hostages this weekend or face a return to war.
Under the terms of the truce, which has largely halted more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza, captives were to be released in batches in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. So far, Israel and Hamas have completed five hostage-prisoner swaps.
But the deal has come under increasing strain in recent days, prompting diplomatic efforts to salvage it and Hamas to say it was 鈥榗ommitted to the ceasefire鈥� after earlier saying it would postpone Saturday鈥檚 scheduled release.
鈥楳ediators from Qatar and Egypt are in contact with the American side,鈥� said the source on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the Gaza ceasefire.
鈥楾hey are working intensively to resolve the crisis and compel Israel to implement the humanitarian protocol in the ceasefire agreement and begin negotiations for the second phase,鈥� he said.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has urged Hamas to proceed with the planned release and 鈥榓void at all costs resumption of hostilities in Gaza鈥�.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that 鈥榠f Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF (Israeli military) will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated鈥�.
His threat echoed that of US president Donald Trump who said on Monday that 鈥榟ell鈥� would break loose if Hamas failed to release 鈥榓ll鈥� Israeli hostages by Saturday.
Trump has proposed taking over Gaza and removing its more than two million residents.
鈥業f all of the hostages aren鈥檛 returned by Saturday 12 o鈥檆lock I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,鈥� Trump said.
He reaffirmed his deadline while hosting Jordan鈥檚 King Abdullah II on Tuesday.
King Abdullah said on social media he 鈥榬eiterated Jordan鈥檚 steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians鈥�, adding it was 鈥榯he unified Arab position鈥�.
Senior Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri said Trump鈥檚 remark 鈥榝urther complicates matters鈥�.
鈥楾rump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties,鈥� he said.
Egypt, a US ally which borders Gaza, said Tuesday it plans to 鈥榩resent a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction鈥� of the Palestinian territory which ensures residents remain on their land.
Hamas has said it would postpone the next hostage release, scheduled for Saturday, accusing Israel of violating the deal and calling for it to fulfil its obligations.
Yemen鈥檚 Huthi rebels, who are aligned with Hamas and have attacked Israel throughout the war in support of the Palestinians, said they were 鈥榬eady to launch a military intervention at any time in case of escalation against Gaza鈥�.
Netanyahu did not specify whether he was referring to all captives, but his finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called on the premier to 鈥榦pen the gates of hell鈥� if Israel doesn鈥檛 get back 鈥榓ll the hostages by Saturday鈥�.
The far-right politician demanded the 鈥榝ull occupation of the Gaza Strip鈥� and an end to all humanitarian aid.
The Israeli military said it has reinforced its troops, while hostage families rallied outside Netanyahu鈥檚 office in support of the ceasefire.
鈥楾here is a deal. Go for it!鈥� said Zahiro, whose uncle Avraham Munder died in captivity.
In Gaza, resident Adnan Qassem was praying 鈥榯he ceasefire holds鈥�.
鈥楾he ruling faction in Israel wants war, and I believe there is also a faction within Hamas that wants war,鈥� said the 60-year-old from Deir el-Balah.
Trump鈥檚 latest threat came hours after Hamas鈥檚 armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said the hostage release scheduled for Saturday was postponed.
It accused Israel of failing to meet its commitments under the agreement, including on aid, and cited the deaths of three Gazans at the weekend.
But the group said 鈥榯he door remains open鈥� for the release to go ahead 鈥榦nce the occupation complies鈥�.
The Gaza war was triggered by Hamas鈥檚 October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, of whom 73 remain in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military says are dead.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says the war has killed at least 48,219 people in the territory, figures the UN considers reliable.
A UN report issued on Tuesday said that more than $53 billion will be required to rebuild Gaza and end the 鈥榟umanitarian catastrophe鈥� in the devastated territory.
