A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears to be back on track after the militant group confirmed it will release three Israeli hostages this weekend, as initially planned.
Israeli officials expressed optimism that a deal will be reached to avert the collapse of the ceasefire agreement, with one official stating “seems it will be resolved”. The releases will see Palestinian prisoners exchanged in return.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not responded to Hamas’ statement, which comes amid continued fallout over US President Donald Trump’s suggestion to relocate Gaza’s residents and redevelop the territory.
Trump suggested dismissing the multi-staged approach of the ceasefire deal altogether and giving Hamas an ultimatum to release all hostages at once. Netanyahu welcomed the demand but hasn’t explicitly agreed to it.
Israel has been accused of violating the ceasefire, with 19 alleged violations listed by an Egyptian source. These include restrictions on aid delivery, firing at civilians, and surveillance aircraft incursions. The Israeli agency managing policy for the Palestinian territories denied these claims, stating that hundreds of thousands of aid trucks have entered Gaza daily.
Egypt, Qatar, and the US are key mediators in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations. The talks have been characterized by a positive spirit, with mediators affirming their commitment to removing obstacles and filling gaps.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/13/middleeast/hamas-hostage-release-israel-gaza-intl/index.html