The Islamist group accuses Israel of not respecting the ceasefire. The Israeli Defense Minister Place Tsahal at the “highest alert level”.
Update :
Hamas indicates that the release of the hostages scheduled for Saturday could still take place if Israel “complied with its obligations” as part of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, report the Israeli media.
Hamas intends to report “until further notice“The next exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, scheduled for Saturday, February 15, announced a representative of the Islamist group.
The spokesman for the Al-Qassam brigades, a military wing of Hamas, Abu Obaïda, said that Israel has not fulfilled his obligations under the cease-fire agreement, set up for three weeks.
According to him, the Israelis have in particular “delayed the return of the Palestinians moved to the north of the Gaza strip, targeted them by air strikes and firearms in various areas of the enclave, and did not facilitate the entrance to the Humanitarian aid as it had been agreed“.
The Islamist group demands a “retroactive compensation“For the alleged violations of the ceasefire by Israel, failing which he will not release the hostages until further notice.
21 Israeli hostages exchanged for 730 Palestinian prisoners
The two parties carried out five hostages for prisoners since the entry into force of the ceasefire last month.
The next exchange was scheduled for Saturday, with the release of three Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
According to Israeli media, the Minister of Defense of the Hebrew State, Israel Katz, reacted to the announcement of the postponement of the liberation of Israeli hostages sine diadeclaring that this is a “flagrant ceasefire“.
“”I asked TSAhal to prepare for the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect communities (border). We will not come back to the reality of October 7“He added.
The surprise announcement of the postponement of the next release of hostages comes as the families of the Israeli hostages press the negotiators to maintain the cease-fire agreement so that all the captives can return home and that the remains of hostages are repatriated.
