Arab mediators race to save Gaza ceasefire as Israel mobilises troops ...Middle East

Hopes are rising that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will continue past Donald Trump’s Saturday deadline as mediators scramble to prevent Gaza plunging back into war.

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.

The Israeli military has reinforced troops and called up its reservists in preparation for a possible resumption of the war after Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, warned that Israel was ready to “return to intense fighting” if Hamas did not release its hostages by noon on 15 February.

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.

A Palestinian source told AFP that Qatar and Egypt were “working extensively” to resolve the crisis, and were in touch with the Trump administration. Egypt’s state-affiliated Al Qahera news TV said pressure by mediators was intensifying, citing an Egyptian source.

Egypt and Qatar, alongside the US, brokered the deal that took effect on January 19 after more than a year of diplomatic efforts.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to continue talks, the group said, while a Mahmoud Merdawi, a Hamas official, said there were “positive signs” three Israeli hostages would be released on Saturday as previously planned.

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.

Meanwhile the armed wing of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which has been holding Israeli hostages since 7 October 2023, said the fate of those hostages was tied to the actions of Netanyahu.

“The only way to retrieve hostages and for stability to come back is through a swap deal,” the group’s spokesperson said on Telegram.

The truce has looked increasingly fragile since Hamas said this week it was postponing the release of more hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement  including continued killing of Palestinians and delays allowing displaced people to return to their homes in northern Gaza. Israel denies the allegations.

President Trump then warned that “hell will break loose” if all the hostages were not released by noon on Saturday.

Hamas has said it had announced its stance early this week to give mediators time to pressure Israel to “comply and compensate for the past weeks” before the scheduled handover on Saturday.

Trump's Gaza ceasefire ultimatum could go drastically wrong

Although 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.

“The president said all that we all need to know, which is Saturday, 12 o’clock he expects there to be something different occurring, and if it’s not there’s going to be a big problem.”

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.

“The new Gaza war will be different in intensity from the one before the ceasefire, and it will not end without the defeat of Hamas and the release of all the hostages. It will also allow the realisation of US president Trump’s vision for Gaza,” Katz said.

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 :

• Lou Christie, “Lightnin’ Strikes” and “Rhapsody in the Rain” Singer, Dies at 82
• Detained Afghan’s legal entry into U.S. was ‘improvident,’ government argues
• Legendary '80s Metal Band Performs Fan-Favorite for First Time in 20 Years: 'Sounding Great'