US President Donald Trump has warned if all the Israeli hostages held in Gaza are not released by Saturday at noon, he would propose cancelling the ceasefire and letting “all hell break loose.”
Speaking to media at his Oval Office, Trump also said he might suspend aid to Egypt and Jordan if they do not take Palestinian refugees being relocated from Gaza.
Earlier on Monday, Hamas had announced it would stop releasing Israeli hostages until further notice over what the Palestinian group called Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, raising the risk of reigniting the conflict.
Hamas said it made its announcement five days before Saturday’s scheduled hostage release so mediators could pressure Israel to uphold its ceasefire obligations and “keep the door open for the exchange to take place on time.”
Hamas military wing spokesperson Abu Ubaida said Israeli ceasefire violations included delaying Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, shelling and firing upon Palestinians, and stopping humanitarian aid from entering the strip as stipulated under the ceasefire.
