TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel threatened Tuesday to resume hostilities with Hamas in Gaza unless the militant group releases hostages under a ceasefire agreement this weekend.
The announcement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met his security cabinet a day after Hamas said that it was delaying the next hostage release, accusing Israel of reneging on the terms of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, painstakingly negotiated after more than 15 months of war with the help of the U.S., Qatar and Egypt.
Netanyahu demanded that Hamas return hostages by noon local time on Saturday, or "the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense combat until Hamas is decisively defeated," he said, referring to the acronym for the Israeli military.
A senior official with knowledge of the matter who is not authorized to speak publicly clarified later that Israel expects three hostages to be released on Saturday — as previously scheduled — and another six "a few days later." This would mean all hostages who are still believed to be alive and who were supposed to be released in the deal's first phase would be released in the coming days, faster than originally outlined in the agreement.
Netanyahu added that he welcomed President Trump's remarks Monday demanding the release of hostages by Saturday, "as well as his revolutionary vision for Gaza's future."
Hamas' announcement about delaying hostages' release came as President Trump said in a Fox News interview posted online Monday that Palestinians would not be allowed to return to Gaza under his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza and relocate the enclave's residents.
Hamas alleged that Israel has not allowed temporary shelters, tents, debris removal equipment and fuel that it says are required by the ceasefire agreement into the enclave. Israel controls all aid that enters the Gaza Strip.
Hamas said it remained committed to the agreement and postponing the release of hostages was a "warning" to Israel to adhere to the deal's terms.
Netanyahu also said that he had instructed the Israeli military to "amass forces inside and around the Gaza Strip." The Israeli military said it was sending additional troops and calling up reservists to the area.
Last weekend, Israel and Hamas exchanged three Israeli hostages for dozens of Palestinian detainees and prisoners. Five such exchanges have taken place so far, freeing 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages in exchange for more than 670 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Hamas had originally agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages in the deal's first phase in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Thousands of Palestinians have poured north in Gaza after the ceasefire began Jan. 19, many on foot, returning to houses and apartment buildings that have been destroyed in fighting that has seen over 47,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza health authorities.
The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants from Hamas and other groups broke through the border with Israel and killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Itay Stern in Tel Aviv, Yanal Jabarin in Jerusalem, Abu Bakr Bashir in London and Ahmed Abuhamda in Cairo contributed to this report.
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