Gaza Truce Imperiled as Netanyahu and Hamas Send Dueling Warnings
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The Israeli leader’s warning came after Hamas said it would indefinitely postpone the next round of hostage releases.
The future of the cease-fire in Gaza and the territory’s long-term fate hung in the balance on Tuesday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel warned Hamas that if the scheduled release of hostages did not take place on Saturday, the truce would end and Israeli troops would resume “intense fighting.”
Mr. Netanyahu’s warning came after Hamas said on Monday it would indefinitely postpone the next round of hostage releases, which he said amounted to a “decision to violate the agreement.”
His statement echoed President Trump’s demand a day earlier that all remaining hostages must be freed by 12 o’clock on Saturday or “all hell is going to break out.” But the prime minister did not say that all captives still in Gaza had to be freed; under the terms of the cease-fire, only three were supposed to be let go on Saturday.
Mr. Netanyahu also reiterated an order he issued on Monday night to reinforce troops in and around Gaza, but he did not say they were planning to recapture territory from which Israel had recently withdrawn.
“This operation is currently underway,” he said. “It will be completed as soon as possible.”
Analysts said it was possible that Israel and Hamas would reach a compromise before Saturday on this weekend’s scheduled round of hostage releases. Another hurdle looms in March, when the cease-fire is set to elapse unless Hamas and Israel negotiate an extension.
“The crisis is a prelude for a much bigger crisis that is coming in early March,” said Ibrahim Dalalsha, the director of the Horizon Center, a political research group in the West Bank of Ramallah.