In a significant escalation, Israel has ordered its military to prepare for \"any possible scenario in the Gaza Strip\" following Hamas's announcement to postpone the scheduled handover of hostages.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned Hamas's decision, labeling it \"a complete violation of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.\" He also directed the Israel Defense Forces to maintain the highest level of readiness to defend communities near Gaza.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a situation assessment meeting with key ministers and security officials to address the unfolding crisis, as reported by Ynet news.
Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida stated that the resistance group has been monitoring Israel's adherence to the ceasefire for the past three weeks. He cited delays in returning displaced people to northern Gaza and insufficient relief supplies as breaches of the agreement. Due to these violations, Hamas has decided to postpone the release of hostages until Israel fulfills its obligations and compensates for previous delays.
Israel's Hostages, Missing Persons and Returnees Directorate emphasized the country's insistence on the full implementation of the agreement, treating any violations with utmost seriousness.
These developments come shortly after an Israeli delegation returned from Qatar, where indirect talks were held to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The current ceasefire, effective since January 19 after 15 months of conflict, saw the release of 21 hostages (16 Israelis and 5 Thais) from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails. The first phase of the agreement aimed to release 33 Israeli hostages and approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees over six weeks.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that ensures the safety and well-being of all those involved.
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Israel orders military readiness as Hamas to delay hostage release
cgtn.com
