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The political-security cabinet met Tuesday for four hours for a discussion following Hamas' announcement that it would "suspend the release of hostages," and against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's advice to resume fighting if "all the hostages" are not released by Saturday at noon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement later Tuesday evening on the Israeli position following developments in the negotiations on the deal and the fear that the current crisis will lead to its collapse.
"If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas," Netanyahu announced in his statement, saying this decision passed the Cabinet unanimously.
"We all welcomed President Trump's demand to release our hostages by Saturday noon as well, and we all welcomed the President's revolutionary vision for the future of Gaza," Netanyahu added.
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Families of hostages, along with activists, block the road to Jerusalem on Tuesday morning
(Photo: Hostage families forum)
"In light of Hamas's announcement regarding its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, last night I instructed the IDF to amass forces inside – and surrounding – the Gaza Strip. This action is being carried out at this hour and will be completed very soon," Netanyahu said.
A senior Israeli official later clarified that Netanyahu means all of the hostages currently being held in Gaza.
Shortly after Netanyahu's announcement, the IDF announced a reinforcement of troops in the Southern Command, including by calling up reservists. "In accordance with the situational assessment and the decision to raise the level of readiness in the Southern Command, it was decided to increase reinforcements with additional troops, including reservists," an IDF spokesman said. "The reinforcement of forces and the recruitment of reserves are being made in order to prepare for various scenarios."
Although Netanyahu landed in Israel from a visit to the U.S. on Sunday, amid fears that the deal would collapse, the cabinet was not scheduled to convene until Tuesday evening. "The prime minister moved the cabinet meeting to the afternoon, brought forward due to Hamas' decision to violate the agreement," the source said.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes the political-security cabinet
(Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)
"Last night, the prime minister ordered the reinforcement of forces in and around the Gaza Strip, and to prepare for any scenario if Hamas does not release our hostages this coming Saturday," the source added. He said that "the cabinet meeting lasted about four hours and was thorough and in-depth."
Following the meeting the prime minister's spokesman Omer Dostri, meanwhile, addressed all ministers and instructed them: "On behalf of the prime minister, I request that you not be interviewed on the subject of Gaza at this stage."
Even before the directive and shortly after the end of the discussion, Energy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of the cabinet, said that "we adopt President Trump's words regarding the release of all the hostages and we adhere to them." In an interview with "Galei Israel," Cohen said that "anyone who thinks he can blackmail the State of Israel with such and such tricks - it will not happen." According to him, "we adhere to Trump's words regarding the release of all the hostages (by Saturday) and we adopt them. I see that they are actually saying that they will not abide by the agreement; This is already a violation of the deal."
The cabinet meeting in Jerusalem was delayed Tuesday morning due to the extension of the limited security consultation that Netanyahu had already held. The ministers discussed, among other things, Hamas' announcement to halt the release of the hostages, due to "Israeli violations."
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The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing six Israeli sources familiar with the details of the negotiations and another source on behalf of the mediators, that the Israeli delegation, which left for Doha on Sunday and returned early Monday morning, was in fact a "futile delegation." According to the sources, the members of the delegation "listened to the Qatari proposals, and announced that they must return to Israel so that its government can decide how to proceed."
Netanyahu actually delayed the discussions on Phase II of the cease-fire and hostage release deal, saying that he sees the talks on the deal he held in the U.S. on the 16th day of the first phase of a cease-fire with Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy to the Middle East, as the start of the talks. Against this backdrop, the cabinet Tuesday also discussed the mandate that will be given to the Israeli delegation that will deal with Phase II, and Netanyahu was supposed to bring the Israeli conditions to approval within this framework.