Launched hostage Ohad Ben Ami draped in an Israeli flag arrives at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Heart – Ichilov Hospital by helicopter, on Feb. 8, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Photos
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Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Photos
TEL AVIV, Israel — A spokesperson for the militant group Hamas mentioned Monday that it could delay the discharge of the following group of Israeli hostages scheduled for this Saturday, imperiling a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The hostage-for-prisoner exchanges are a part of a six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas now in its fourth week.
Abu Obeida, the army spokesman for Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, accused Israel of violating the phrases of the deal. He mentioned Israel is “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and not allowing relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed upon.”
In a press release, Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned the Hamas announcement “is a complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the hostage release deal.”
He added that he had requested the nation’s army “to prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to ensure the protection of Israeli communities.”
On the finish of the primary section of the deal, 33 Israeli hostages would’ve been freed in change for practically 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The subsequent stage of the deal is predicted to see further hostages launched for prisoners and an extra withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The U.S. has been serving to mediate these talks and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to go to Israel and key Arab states — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — this week, the State Division mentioned.
The information comes as President Trump floated a plan to have the U.S. take over Gaza and relocate the practically two million Palestinians elsewhere. The proposal invited the ire of Hamas’ management in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority within the West Financial institution, in addition to rejection from regional leaders and plenty of U.S allies.
Egypt introduced Sunday it could host a summit of Arab leaders later within the month, amid alarm within the area over President Trump’s proposals.
Israeli forces withdrew from the Netzarim Hall in Gaza on Sunday, upholding a part of the ceasefire deal. The hall is a 4 mile strip of land bisecting northern and southern Gaza that Israel fortified through the conflict, utilizing it as a army zone.
