Israel’s Netanyahu threatens to resume war on Gaza if captives not released by Saturday

US President Donald Trump has urged Israel to push for the release of even more hostages, though it remains unclear whether Netanyahu’s warning refers to all remaining captives or only the three due for release this weekend.

Earlier in the day, an Israeli official stated that Netanyahu had ordered an increase in troop deployment around the Gaza Strip and instructed military leaders to prepare for “every scenario” should Hamas fail to release the hostages on schedule. The move follows Monday’s announcement that Israel planned to reinforce its defences along the Gaza border. The Israeli Security Cabinet held a four-hour meeting to discuss Hamas’ position, which could put the fragile ceasefire at risk.

So far, Hamas has released 21 hostages as part of an ongoing prisoner exchange that has seen Israel release hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

Trump has taken a hardline stance, stating that Israel should cancel the ceasefire entirely if all 70 remaining hostages are not freed by Saturday. Hamas dismissed his remarks, insisting that it would only continue the releases if all parties adhered to the agreed terms.

Meanwhile, Trump is hosting Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House, increasing pressure on the country to accept refugees from Gaza—potentially on a permanent basis—as part of his broader vision for reshaping the Middle East. Trump’s suggestion that Palestinians expelled from Gaza would not have the right to return has sparked international backlash.

Under the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, Hamas had committed to releasing 33 hostages taken during its 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, while Israel agreed to free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Since 19 January, five such prisoner exchanges have taken place.

However, the war could resume in early March if no agreement is reached on the more complex second phase of the ceasefire, which aims to secure the release of all remaining hostages and extend the truce indefinitely.

If hostilities resume, Israel will face a significantly different battlefield. After initially forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee south, Israel has since allowed many to return to what remains of their homes. This shift could complicate future ground operations in the territory.

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