U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that if Hamas does not release all remaining Israeli hostages by midday on Saturday, Israel should cancel the ceasefire and take decisive military action.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Trump suggested that aid to Jordan and Egypt could be withheld if they do not support his plan to take control of Gaza and relocate its population to their territories.
Hamas announced on Monday that it would delay the release of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement. Israel condemned the move as a “complete violation” of the deal and stated that its military remains on high alert for any developments in Gaza.
The ceasefire, which began last month, initially showed progress but is now under strain. Seventeen Israeli hostages were still expected to be freed in the first phase of the agreement, though Israel reports that eight of them have died. Meanwhile, Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.
