Hamas suspends hostage release, claims Israel failed to uphold ceasefire terms

In a statement, Hamas said the “door remains open” for future prisoner exchanges, but only if Israel meets its obligations. “We intentionally made this announcement five days before the scheduled prisoner handover, allowing mediators ample time to pressure Israel towards fulfilling its obligations,” the group stated.

Israel’s security cabinet has brought forward its meeting to discuss the second phase of negotiations, originally set for Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has cancelled all leave for soldiers in its Gaza division, according to the Kan news outlet, signalling preparations for possible renewed conflict.

Relatives of Israeli hostages have urged negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US to intervene, hoping to salvage the fragile agreement that took over a year to finalise. Some families accused the Israeli government of jeopardising the deal through provocative actions.

“Abu Obeida’s statement is a direct result of Netanyahu’s irresponsible behaviour,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan remains captive in Gaza. “His deliberate procrastination and unnecessary provocative statements disrupted the implementation of the agreement,” she told The Guardian.

Hamas has cited Israeli delays in allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, restrictions on aid, and attacks on civilians as reasons for halting hostage releases. The next exchange, originally planned for Saturday, would have been the sixth under the current ceasefire deal.

Pressure is mounting on the Israeli government after the frail condition of three recently freed hostages shocked the nation. Protests erupted in Tel Aviv, with demonstrators blocking streets and demanding the immediate return of all captives.

The first stage of the deal involved Hamas releasing 33 hostages—eight of whom are deceased—in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. So far, 16 Israeli hostages and five Thai citizens have been freed.

Negotiations for the second phase, expected to be even more complex, aim to secure the release of all remaining hostages and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. However, political tensions within Israel threaten the deal’s future.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister, has warned he will resign if the war doesn’t resume after the hostages are freed, potentially destabilising Netanyahu’s coalition government.

While Israel’s prime minister met with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington to discuss the ceasefire, there’s been little progress beyond technical issues related to the deal’s first phase.