Gaza Truce at Risk: Hamas Announces Suspension of Hostage Release Scheduled for Saturday. Israel Accused of Violations

The fragile truce between Israel and Hamas is once again at risk. Yesterday afternoon, Monday 10 February, Hamas announced the suspension of the release of Israeli hostages, scheduled for Saturday, accusing Israel of violations of the truceAmong the charges leveled by the Palestinian group are:

• il delay in the return of displaced persons in northern Gaza,
• attacks that would have caused casualties despite the truce,
• il slowdown in the entry of humanitarian aid.

Israel has rejected all the charges, calling them baseless.e. The Minister of Defense, Katz, declared the state of maximum alert of the armed forces, ready to respond to any scenario.

The conditions of the truce

The truce, started on January 19th, it is expected to last 42 days, until early March.

The first phase includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. So far, 19 hostages have been freed..

However, Negotiations to define the second phase of the ceasefire are at a standstill, and statements from both sides suggest that the negotiation never took off seriously.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding consultations with military leaders and he convened the cabinet for security. The Israeli Far Right, led by the former minister Itamar Ben Gvir, he asked to immediately break the truce and launch an offensive on Gaza, including the suspension of humanitarian aid and more aggressive military action.

The reaction of the hostages' families

Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages have staged protests against the government, blocking several roads. "We want concrete answers and actions, not empty promises", the protesters said, criticizing Netanyahu's handling of the crisis.

The position of the United States and the role of Trump

Tensions in the region have been further fueled by statements by the American president Donald Trump, who has anticipated some details of his “plan for Gaza”. According to Trump, the plan would include:

• the displacement of the Palestinian population of Gaza in Egypt and Jordan,
• the purchase of the Gaza Strip territory by the United States,
• the ban on displaced persons returning to Gaza.

This plan has already attracted strong international criticism., with many Arab leaders calling it “a form of ethnic cleansing”Both Egypt and Jordan have rejected the idea of ​​welcoming Gaza refugees, while Trump has threatened to cut off economic aid to both countries if they do not cooperate.

Trump will meet the King of Jordan these days Abdullah II, the Egyptian president al-Sisi and the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an attempt to further his project.

The Future of the Truce: Agreement in the Balance

Mutual accusations between Israel and Hamas make the truce increasingly fragile. If the release of the hostages does not resume, as planned, on Saturday, the risk of a new escalation of violence It's concrete. Trump warned that «Without the release of the hostages, the ceasefire will be cancelled and all hell will break loose".

The situation remains extremely fluid and worrying, with the international community watching with apprehension the developments in the coming hours.