Hamas agreed to release three more Israeli captives from Gaza on Saturday following the recent negotiations with ceasefire mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Hamas recently declined to release the three hostages last Saturday after they alleged that Israel was not acting following the ceasefire agreement.
They said that as a result of Israeli forces' actions in the West Bank and occupied Gaza Strip, “We have decided to halt the release of the three hostages.”
Israel, on the other hand, has said that Hamas must release three living captives or Israeli forces will return to war in the Palestinian territory.
Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou said the language of threats made against Gaza by United States President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not serve the Gaza ceasefire’s implementation.
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Meanwhile, a senior UN official has likened the devastation in the Gaza Strip to “a massive earthquake” and said efforts must be made to avoid a continuing “humanitarian catastrophe.”
Gaza’s health ministry, which the UN considers credible, has revised the death toll figures from a confirmed 48,239 to 61,709 deaths in Israel’s war on Gaza, while 111,676 people have been wounded.
The government media office updated the toll, stating that there were several thousand people buried under the rubble of the devastated Gaza enclave.
At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023 attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.
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