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Hamas said Monday that its decision to halt the release of hostages "until further notice" is meant as a warning to Israel and an attempt to pressure it into fully adhering to the terms of the cease-fire agreement.
"The delay in releasing prisoners is a message of warning to Israel and a means to pressure it to strictly comply with the agreement," Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida said in a statement.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump
(Photo: Chaim Goldberg, Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP, Chip Somodevilla pool via REUTERS)
Hamas added that it intentionally announced the delay five days in advance to give mediators sufficient time to push Israel to meet its commitments while keeping the door open for the exchange to proceed on schedule.
An Israeli official called Hamas’ announcement "concerning" but noted there was still time to resolve the crisis before Saturday. Israeli negotiators believe Hamas’ move is a pressure tactic rather than a collapse of the deal. "Mediators, including the U.S., have a vested interest in ensuring the upcoming releases proceed," the official said.
A political source said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations with senior security officials following the announcement and moved Tuesday's Security Cabinet meeting up to 11 a.m. from the evening.
Even before Hamas' announcement, Israel warned on Monday that the terrorist group's “false accusations” could lead to escalation and jeopardize the continuation of the agreement. Israeli officials rejected Hamas’ claims outright, claiming: “They were investigated and found to be baseless.”
Jerusalem sees Hamas’ actions as part of an effort to maximize its leverage in negotiations and apply psychological pressure, rather than an outright rejection of the deal. Israeli officials believe Hamas’ delay is primarily aimed at securing increased humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza and bolstering its position ahead of further talks. The decision also reflects internal power struggles between Hamas leaders in Gaza and those abroad, Israeli sources said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Hamas of blatantly violating the cease-fire agreement and said that he had instructed the IDF to "maintain the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend Israeli communities," emphasizing that Israel "will not allow a return to the reality of October 7."
Meanwhile, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters that mediators fear a breakdown of the cease-fire agreement after Hamas' announcement.
Hamas negotiators said U.S. guarantees for the cease-fire were no longer in place given a plan by President Donald Trump to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and mediators postponed talks until a clear indication of Washington's intent to continue the phased deal was received.
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Remaining 17 hostages slated for release in first phase of hostage deal
(Photo: Courtesy of the families)
Hamas claims Israel has failed to meet key commitments under the agreement, including allowing displaced Gazans to return to northern Gaza, halting military strikes and facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries.
Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanou accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being responsible for the delay. "We call on mediators to pressure Israel to fully implement the cease-fire agreement," he told Qatar’s Al-Araby TV.
Hamas officials also cited recent statements from Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers regarding a potential return to fighting, as well as Israel’s conditions for the second phase of negotiations, which reportedly include the expulsion of Hamas leaders and the dismantling of its military wing.
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Israeli officials say U.S. and regional mediators are now working to bring Hamas back in line with the agreement. They believe Hamas is not seeking to collapse the deal but rather to extract additional concessions, particularly on aid shipments.
An Israeli negotiating team that returned early Monday from Qatar conveyed to mediators in Doha that Hamas' conduct was endangering the agreement. Israeli officials emphasized that Israel has upheld its commitments, including withdrawing from the Netzarim Corridor, opening the Rafah crossing and repositioning its forces as required under the deal.
Discussions in Doha focused on various aspects of implementing the first phase of the agreement, which is now at risk. Talks also addressed the condition of recently freed hostages—Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy—who showed signs of severe malnutrition, raising concerns about the treatment of those still in captivity.
Israeli officials also rejected Hamas’ accusations that Israel is blocking humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. "These claims were investigated and found to be baseless," an Israeli source said, calling Hamas' stance irresponsible and potentially harmful to the deal’s implementation. Officials warned that Hamas’ "aggressive rhetoric and false allegations" were creating a blame game that could derail the agreement and escalate tensions.
The Israeli delegation to Qatar included senior security officials, including a former deputy head of the Shin Bet, hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch and representatives from the Shin Bet, Mossad and Military Intelligence. An Israeli official dismissed reports that the mission was a mere formality, insisting that "serious and significant discussions" took place.
The hostage deal, now in its first phase, was set to include the release of 33 hostages. So far, 16 have been freed, with 17 more expected in the coming days.