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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stern ultimatum, warning that the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza will be scrapped and intense military operations will resume if Hamas does not release Israeli hostages by Saturday noon.
The warning came after Hamas announced a delay in the scheduled release of hostages, citing alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. In response, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had been ordered to mobilize inside and around the Gaza Strip in preparation for renewed fighting.
“In light of Hamas’s decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, I have instructed the IDF to amass forces inside and around Gaza. This operation is already underway and will be completed very soon,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
Here is the X Post:
The unanimous decision that I passed in the Cabinet is as follows:
If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 11, 2025
The Israeli cabinet, he added, had reached a unanimous decision: “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated.”
Trump’s Take
The latest escalation also drew remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who backed Israel’s right to resume military action if hostages are not freed by the deadline. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said, “If all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I think it’s an appropriate time to cancel the ceasefire and let hell break out.”
Hamas, however, maintained that it remained committed to the agreement as long as Israel adhered to its terms. Abu Obeida, spokesperson for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, stated on X that the delay was a response to Israeli “violations” and warned that the handover of hostages “will be postponed until further notice unless Israel fulfills its commitments retroactively.”
Despite the standoff, Hamas later issued a statement hinting at a possible resolution, saying the delay was meant as a “warning” to pressure Israel into fully honoring the ceasefire terms.With tensions rising, the next 48 hours are expected to be critical in determining whether the fragile truce will hold or if Israel will follow through on its threat to resume large-scale military operations in Gaza.
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