Hamas says Trump warning ‘further complicates’ Gaza truce

A senior Hamas leader said Tuesday that
US President Donald Trump’s warning for the group to immediately release all
Israeli hostages “further complicates matters” relating to the fragile Gaza
truce.

“Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by
both parties and this is the only way to return the prisoners (hostages),”
Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

“The language of threats has no value and further complicates matters,” he
added.

The ceasefire, in place since January 19, largely halted more than 15 months
of fighting in Gaza and saw five groups of Israeli hostages freed in exchange
for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

But tensions spiked last month after Trump proposed taking over Gaza and
removing its more than two million inhabitants.

He further ramped up pressure on Monday, saying he would call for an end to
the ceasefire if all Israeli hostages were not freed by noon on Saturday.

“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday
12 o’clock — I think it’s an appropriate time — I would say cancel it and
all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump told reporters at the White
House.

The ceasefire agreement says staggered releases should take place over the
ongoing 42-day first phase of the deal.

Trump’s latest warning came after Hamas said the next hostage release would
be “postponed until further notice,” accusing Israel of failing to meet its
commitments under the truce agreement, including on aid deliveries.

AFP