 "Families and supporters attend a demonstration calling for the immediate return of hostages held in Gaza, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. Reuters")
Hamas on Thursday announced that it would release hostages on February 15 (Saturday) as planned before, passing a major hurdle that was threatening the Gaza ceasefire deal.
The Palestinian terrorist group said that mediators Qatar and Egypt have reaffirmed that they will make efforts to “remove all hurdles” to ensure the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is not disrupted.
“We are keen to implement it (the ceasefire) and oblige the occupation to fully abide by it. Mediators are pressuring (Israel) to complete the full implementation of the agreement, oblige the occupation to abide by the humanitarian protocol, and resume the exchange process on Saturday,” Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou said.
Three more hostages will likely be released on Saturday, the Hamas statement indicated. There was no immediate comment from Israel on Hamas’ announcement.
What made Hamas go ahead with the plan?
Earlier, Hamas had said that it would not go through with the hostage release after it accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce.
The group now has said its delegation held talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials and was in contact with Qatar’s prime minister about increasing the entry of shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for clearing rubble into Gaza.
It was also facing pressure from US President Donald Trump who said all “hell” would break loose if the Palestinian militant group failed to release “all” the hostages by noon on Saturday.
‘Gaps in deal’
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that makeshift shelters and heavy equipment are not entering the strip.
A report by Al Jazeera said that aid equipment has started entering Gaza which the PM’s office rejected as “fake” and “baseless”.
Netanyahu’s spokesman Omer Dostri said, “There is no entry of mobile homes or heavy equipment into Gaza, and there is no coordination for it.”
With inputs from agencies