GAZA CITY, Israel – The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears to be holding after Hamas announced it would release Israeli hostages this weekend, in line with the terms of the agreement mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
The development on Thursday, February 13, 2025, follows a tense dispute between the two sides, threatening to derail the truce that had paused over a year of conflict.
Israeli officials have not yet confirmed whether they will uphold their side of the deal but signalled optimism about avoiding a collapse.
“Seems it will be resolved,” said an Israeli official, adding that there is no desire within the Israeli government to abandon the ceasefire at this stage.
Hostage Release to Proceed After Mediation
Hamas had initially postponed the planned release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the agreement.
In response, Israeli officials warned of a potential return to military operations.
However, following discussions with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Hamas stated that the exchange—where Palestinian prisoners will be released in return—will go ahead.
“Hamas confirms its continued position to implement the deal according to what was signed, which includes exchanging prisoners according to the specified timetable,” the group said in a statement.
Mediators assured Hamas they would work to “remove obstacles and fill gaps” in the deal, the statement added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to directly respond to Hamas’ latest position.
His government remains under pressure from various factions, including the United States, where former President Donald Trump has advocated for a different approach—dismissing the phased release of hostages in favour of demanding all captives be freed at once.
Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s stance but has not committed to it, instead issuing an ambiguous deadline, “Hamas must return our hostages by Saturday noon, or the military will return to intense fighting until Hamas is completely defeated.”
Uncertainty Over Next Steps
Despite Netanyahu’s statement, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer reiterated on Thursday, February 13, 2025, that the ceasefire remains contingent on Hamas releasing at least three living hostages by Saturday.
“There is a framework in place for the release of our hostages. There are important markers, there are important steps on this framework. That framework makes clear that three live hostages must be released by Hamas terrorists on Saturday,” Mencer told reporters.
So far, 16 of the 33 Israeli hostages scheduled for release under the current phase of the deal have been freed. Israel has also released 656 Palestinian prisoners from a list of nearly 2,000.
Allegations of Ceasefire Violations
Despite the ongoing negotiations, an Egyptian source with knowledge of the situation accused Israel of multiple ceasefire violations.
The source shared with CNN a list of 19 alleged infractions, including restrictions on aid deliveries, shootings of civilians, and the presence of Israeli surveillance aircraft during no-fly periods.
According to the Egyptian source, Israeli forces have killed 22 people and injured 59 near the buffer zone separating Gaza from Israel.
Additionally, Israeli military vehicles reportedly entered areas adjacent to the Philadelphi Corridor—a key border strip separating Gaza from Egypt—on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, the Israeli agency COGAT, which manages policy for Palestinian territories, denied accusations of obstructing aid.
It said that since the ceasefire agreement took effect, more than 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks had entered Gaza, carrying food, water, medicine, fuel, and shelter materials.
Future of the Ceasefire Agreement in Question
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continue to mediate between the two sides, but the longer-term stability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.
An Egyptian source raised concerns about Israel’s commitment, citing delays in negotiations for the next phase and restrictive conditions set by the Israeli government.
“Statements by Israeli politicians calling for the displacement of the Gaza population give the impression that Israel doesn’t want to continue the implementation of the agreement and works to implement President Trump’s displacement plan,” the source said.
With a key deadline looming on Saturday, the next few days are expected to determine whether the ceasefire holds—or if hostilities resume.
