Hamas does not want the Gaza ceasefire agreement to end, the Palestinian militant group said, ahead of a Saturday deadline for the release of more Israeli hostages. Hamas agreed under the deal to release three more hostages on Saturday, but said it would suspend the handover after Israel violated the terms.
"We are not interested in destroying the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and are keen on its implementation and ensuring that the occupation (Israel) is fully restrained," said Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua. "The language of threats and intimidation used by Trump and Netanyahu does not serve the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," Qanoua said.
US President Donald Trump responded by saying that all hostages must be released by noon on Saturday or he would “let all hell break loose.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would resume “intense fighting” if Hamas did not meet the deadline.
A Hamas delegation led by the group's chief in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, met with Egyptian security officials on Wednesday in an attempt to break the deadlock. A Palestinian official close to the talks told Reuters that mediators Egypt and Qatar were trying to find a solution to prevent a slide into fighting.
In a statement, Hamas said the mediators were pressing for the ceasefire agreement to be fully implemented, to ensure that Israel respects a humanitarian protocol and to resume exchanges of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel on Saturday. (A2 Televizion)
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