Hamas announced they were canceling the release of hostages on February 15 until further notice due to an Israeli violation on the terror organization’s Telegram account on Monday.
The Hostages and Missing Families said, following the announcement, that it has reached out to all countries mediating the agreement, demanding “swift assistance in finding an immediate and effective solution to restore the implementation of the deal.”
“We call on the Israeli government to refrain from actions that endanger the execution of the signed agreement and to ensure its continuation, securing the return of our 76 brothers and sisters,” the statement continued.
“The hostages are out of time, and they all must be rescued from this nightmare urgently,” the forum added.
They said they have officially contacted the government and the intelligence coordination unit to “clarify the situation and provide updates to all concerned families who fear for their loved ones’ fates.”
One Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that, in his view, Hamas did not attempt to sabotage the deal in its latest statement.
Another official told the Post that Hamas’s allegations of Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement are “fake,” further arguing that the terror group could be attempting to reignite the conversation over a second phase.
Tzav 9 made a statement calling on the government to block the entry of aid trucks into the Gaza Strip from Sunday if hostages are not returned on Saturday.
“We demand that the Israeli government and the Prime Minister immediately stop all the trucks that are strengthening and strengthening Hamas,” they said.
“If Hamas carries out its threat this coming Saturday, we will make sure to be there in the thousands, and as early as Sunday, stop the madness of the aid trucks to Hamas,” they then invited Israeli citizens to join in as only civil action could bring the hostages home.
Hamas’s argument
Hamas said Israel had violated the ceasefire agreement by delaying the return of displaced peoples to the north and blocking supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.
“During the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has monitored the enemy’s violations and failure to abide by the terms of the agreement,” Hamas said.
The violations include “delaying the return of displaced people to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Gaza Strip, and not allowing relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed upon, while the resistance has implemented all its obligations.”
“Accordingly, the handover of the Zionist prisoners who were scheduled to be released next Saturday, February 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice and until the occupation commits to and compensates for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively.”
“We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them,” Hamas said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to Hamas’s announcement, calling it a “complete violation” of the agreement. He said he has instructed the IDF to be at the highest level of alertness for “any possible scenario in Gaza.”
“We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7,” he added.
Trump’s comments on Gaza
The cancelation comes amid comments from US President Donald Trump that the US will “own” the Gaza Strip and that it will be cleared of Gazans.
He later announced that the Gazans would not have the “right of return” to Gaza following the clearing.
His comments have caused waves across the world, with most world leaders condemning them.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.
