Netanyahu Warns Hamas: Ceasefire Will End if Hostages Are Not Released by Saturday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a firm ultimatum to Hamas, warning that Israel will resume full-scale military operations in Gaza if all remaining hostages are not released by Saturday noon (10:00 GMT).

The declaration marks one of Netanyahu’s strongest public warnings since the ceasefire began, underscoring growing frustration within Israel’s leadership over delays in the hostage-release process and rising tensions on the ground.

Hamas, for its part, insists it is still committed to the ceasefire deal, accusing Israel of being “entirely responsible for any delays or complications” in the process. The group also accused Israeli forces of blocking vital humanitarian aid, a claim Israel has categorically denied.

Uncertainty continues over whether Netanyahu intends to fully abandon the truce if the deadline passes without the release of all hostages. Meanwhile, Arab nations are reportedly pressing Hamas to comply with the agreement and continue the release process.

Egypt has also announced plans to present a comprehensive reconstruction proposal for Gaza, explicitly rejecting any forced displacement of Palestinians—an apparent rebuke to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to relocate Gaza’s population.

Hamas’s latest delay prompted a fiery reaction from Trump, who urged Israel to abandon the ceasefire and “let hell break loose” if every hostage was not released by Saturday.

Following a tense four-hour meeting of Israel’s security cabinet on Tuesday, Netanyahu reaffirmed his warning, declaring that the ceasefire would end and full-scale combat would resume if Hamas failed to comply.

In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he “welcomed President Trump’s demand” for the unconditional release of all captives and confirmed that he had instructed the IDF to ramp up troop deployments in and around Gaza.

“This operation is already underway and will be completed soon,” Netanyahu said, emphasizing that the move had the unanimous approval of his security cabinet. “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until Hamas is completely defeated.”

Reports in Israeli media offered differing interpretations of Netanyahu’s ultimatum. One official told Haaretz that the ceasefire might continue if the next group of hostages was freed on Saturday. However, Transport Minister Miri Regev, a member of the war cabinet, later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that, “We made a very clear decision — we stand by President Trump’s statement: by Saturday, every hostage must be released.”

Meanwhile, the IDF confirmed that its Southern Command, which oversees Gaza operations, had been placed on high alert and reinforced with additional troops and reservists, signaling Israel’s readiness for renewed combat should the truce collapse. on high alert and reinforced with additional troops and reservists, signaling preparations for possible renewed fighting.

Hamas Denounces Trump’s Gaza Proposal as Ceasefire Tensions Mount

Hamas has strongly rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s contentious proposal to place Gaza under American control and permanently relocate its two million Palestinian residents. Trump’s plan — which imagines turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” — has provoked sharp condemnation from Palestinians, Arab nations, and international bodies.

Many Palestinians fear the proposal could lead to a second Nakba, recalling the 1948 mass displacement that followed the creation of Israel. Today, descendants of those refugees make up around 75% of Gaza’s population, while the United Nations estimates that nearly 900,000 Palestinian refugees live in the occupied West Bank, and more than three million others reside in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

In a statement, Hamas blasted Trump’s remarks as “racist” and part of a broader effort to carry out ethnic cleansing, accusing him of attempting to erase the Palestinian struggle and deny their “legitimate national rights.” The Palestinian Authority and several Arab governments have also dismissed the proposal, while the UN reaffirmed that any forced relocation of civilians would violate international law and could amount to ethnic cleansing.

Despite the backlash, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s plan, describing it as a “bold and transformative vision” for Gaza’s future.

The mounting criticism of Trump’s proposal comes at a time of growing regional instability, further clouding the already fragile Gaza ceasefire and deepening uncertainty over what lies ahead for the enclave and its people.

Ceasefire Hangs in the Balance as Hostage Exchanges Progress

The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues under mounting uncertainty, with the first phase of the agreement spanning six weeks and intended to facilitate the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Since the truce began on January 19, Hamas has freed 16 Israeli hostages alive, along with five Thai nationals released outside the formal terms of the accord. Officials report that 17 more Israeli hostages are scheduled for release in the coming weeks — among them two children, one woman, five men over 50, and nine younger men. Both sides acknowledge that eight of these hostages are deceased, though only one has been publicly identified.

As part of the deal, Israeli troops have withdrawn from heavily populated areas of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced residents to return to their homes in the north. The truce has also enabled the entry of hundreds of aid trucks daily, delivering food, fuel, and medical supplies to alleviate Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented cross-border attack, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel initiated a major military offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and governance in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 48,210 people have been killed since the war began. Nearly 70% of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and the healthcare, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed. Severe shortages of food, fuel, and medicine persist, leaving millions in dire humanitarian conditions as the ceasefire’s future hangs in the balance.

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