Netanyahu Says If Hostages Are Not Freed by Saturday, the Ceasefire in Gaza Will End

If Hamas does not free the prisoners by Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to terminate the truce in Gaza.

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, if Hamas does not free the hostages by Saturday noon, the present truce in Gaza would come to an end. If Hamas did not comply, Netanyahu said, the Israeli force would return to combat until the Palestinian terrorist group was completely vanquished.

In response to Netanyahu’s demand, Hamas accused Israel of violating the truce and reiterated its commitment to it. 

The organization rejected what it called “language of threats” and declared that hostages would only be freed if Israel complied with the ceasefire.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas leader, reacted to US President Donald Trump’s statements in which he called for the release of all captives by Saturday and threatened dire repercussions if they were not. Abu Zuhri maintained that in order for captives to be freed, both parties must uphold the deal.

It’s still unclear if Netanyahu’s demand is for the release of all captives or only the three who were supposed to be released on Saturday in accordance with the parameters of the truce. Despite questions from the media, his administration has not yet provided clarification on this issue.

As part of the ceasefire agreement’s first phase, which is expected to last 42 days, Hamas has so far freed 16 of the 33 captives. Additionally, five Thai captives were released without warning. In return, Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian detainees and inmates, including those imprisoned without trial and those serving life terms for homicide attacks.

Netanyahu has been asked to honor the ceasefire agreement by an Israeli organization that represents prisoner families, cautioning against any actions that would endanger the remaining hostages. “We must avoid regressing. The prisoners’ forum declared, “We cannot let the hostages deteriorate in captivity.”

Following a high-level discussion with important military, foreign affairs, and national security ministries, Netanyahu made his declaration. All of them supported his position. The Israeli military confirmed shortly after the announcement that more personnel, including reservists, had been mobilized to southern Israel.

Israel has been accused by Hamas of breaking the truce by carrying out lethal shots, obstructing certain humanitarian supplies, and preventing fled Gazans from going back to the enclave’s northern regions. Israel disputes these allegations, claiming that its troops have only opened fire on those who disregarded orders to avoid Israeli troops.

There are currently 76 captives still in Gaza, and according to Israeli media, over 35 of them are thought to be dead. Both parties are steadfast in their demands, putting the tenuous truce at danger as the Saturday deadline draws near.