As Israeli and US officials continued to threaten Hamas on Wednesday, reports suggested that Egypt and Qatar were intensifying efforts to save the ceasefire and hostage release deal, even as Israel scaled up mobilisation of soldiers in preparation for returning to the devastated enclave.
However, the two sides are nearing an agreement, an Egyptian official told the Associated Press on Wednesday, adding that Israel had committed to delivering more tents and heavy equipment to Gaza.
Citizens in Gaza City amid the rubble of their houses on 12 February (Photo: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Egypt and Qatar, alongside the US, brokered the deal that took effect on January 19 after more than a year of diplomatic efforts.
Another Hamas spokesman warned that it would not accept threats from the US and Israel over the truce in Gaza. “Our position is clear, and we will not accept the language of American and Israeli threats. Israel must commit to implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement for the release” of the hostages, Hazem Qassem said in a statement.
Donald Trump has warned that ‘hell will break loose’ if all the hostages are not released by noon on Saturday (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)
“The only way to retrieve hostages and for stability to come back is through a swap deal,” the group’s spokesperson said on Telegram.
President Trump then warned that “hell will break loose” if all the hostages were not released by noon on Saturday.
Trump's Gaza ceasefire ultimatum could go drastically wrong
Read MoreAlthough Netanyahu did not clarify whether Hamas had to release all the hostages on Saturday or just three intended for release in the original ceasefire outline, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, warned there would be “a big problem” if all of them were not released by Trump’s deadline.“Hamas is a terrorist organisation. They should not be allowed to be part of the government in Gaza. This is an unhealthy situation; they need to go,” Witkoff told reporters.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that if Hamas failed to uphold the agreement, the new war would be different to how it was before.
He was referring to Trump’s plan for the US to take over Gaza and remove Palestinians to elsewhere in the Middle East.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Arab mediators race to save Gaza ceasefire as Israel mobilises troops )
Also on site :