GAZA CITY, Israel — Just three weeks into a fragile ceasefire, tensions are rising between Israel and Hamas, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
So far, 16 out of 33 hostages scheduled for release have been freed by Hamas, while 656 Palestinian prisoners out of an expected nearly 2,000 have been released by Israel.
However, Hamas announced that it was postponing the next hostage release “until further notice”, citing alleged Israeli breaches of the agreement.
Hamas Accuses Israel of Violating Ceasefire
Hamas claims that Israel has fired on Palestinian civilians in various parts of Gaza and delayed the return of displaced people to northern Gaza.
The terrorist group also claimed that Israel has obstructed the entry of humanitarian aid, medicine, and essential supplies.
On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry reported that 92 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations since the ceasefire began.
A diplomatic source told CNN that the UN, Qatar, and other nations attempted to deliver temporary shelters to Gaza, but Israel rejected the request.
Israel Threatens to End Ceasefire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the truce will collapse if Hamas does not comply with the agreement.
“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is completely defeated,” Netanyahu said in a video statement on Tuesday.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Hamas’ move a “complete violation of the ceasefire agreement”, while instructing the military to prepare for all possible scenarios in Gaza.
Trump’s Ultimatum: “Let All Hell Break Out”
US President Donald Trump, who played a role in brokering the ceasefire deal, has proposed scrapping the phased approach and instead demanded that Hamas release all remaining hostages at once.
“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I would say cancel it, and all bets are off—let hell break out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Pressed on what he meant by “all hell,” Trump responded: “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out—Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Trump also stated that Palestinians would not have a right to return to Gaza under his proposed US-controlled rebuilding plan.
Will the Ceasefire Hold?
With both sides trading accusations, the fate of the three-phase ceasefire remains uncertain.
Israel has released one-third of the Palestinian prisoners listed in the deal and Israeli troops have withdrawn from key areas but still control Gaza’s borders.
Talks for the next phase remain stalled, and Netanyahu has delayed sending a delegation to Qatar for further negotiations.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a key figure in Netanyahu’s coalition, has threatened to quit the government if Israel does not return to war after the first phase of the ceasefire expires on March 1.
With Qatar and Egypt working to mediate, the next few days will determine whether hostage exchanges continue or if the ceasefire collapses into renewed fighting.
