Fragile Gaza Ceasefire at Risk as Hamas Halts Hostage Exchange

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Fragile Gaza Ceasefire at Risk as Hamas Halts Hostage Exchange \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Hamas has announced a delay in the release of hostages, citing Israel’s alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement. The move comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ended the controversial stipend system for prisoners’ families, a move seen as an effort to improve relations with the U.S. The ceasefire, now in its sixth week, remains in jeopardy as both sides navigate a tense and uncertain situation.

Gaza Ceasefire Crisis: Quick Looks

Hamas Halts Hostage Release: Claims Israel failed to uphold ceasefire commitments.
Ceasefire in Jeopardy: Ongoing truce, now in its sixth week, faces a major setback.
Israeli Response: Netanyahu consults security officials; military placed on high alert.
Travel & Security Impacts: Airport security heightened, hostages’ families demand urgent action.
Trump’s Comments on Gaza: Calls for U.S. control of Gaza spark Palestinian backlash.
Palestinian Authority Reforms: Abbas ends stipend system for prisoners’ families to ease U.S. tensions.

Deep Look

The fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is facing its most serious crisis yet, as Hamas announced on Monday that it would delay the release of hostages until Israel complies with its obligations. The development threatens to unravel the six-week-old truce, which was designed to facilitate hostage-prisoner swaps while easing humanitarian conditions in war-torn Gaza.

Hamas Accuses Israel of Violations

Hamas justified its postponement of the next hostage exchange by accusing Israel of:

Blocking Palestinian civilians from returning to northern Gaza
Continuing airstrikes across the enclave
Restricting the entry of humanitarian aid

Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida warned that this decision should be seen as a “warning signal” but left open the possibility of resuming the exchange if Israel adheres to its commitments.

Israel, on the other hand, has denied any breach of the agreement. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Hamas’ move a “complete violation” of the ceasefire terms and instructed the military to be on the highest level of alert. Meanwhile, Israeli officials insist they are fully committed to the terms of the truce.

Hostage Exchange Agreement at Risk

The ceasefire agreement, which began on January 19, was structured to facilitate the release of 33 hostages taken in Hamas’ October 7 attack in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

So far, the deal has led to:

Five successful exchanges
The release of 21 Israeli hostages
The release of over 730 Palestinian prisoners

The next exchange, which was scheduled for Saturday, would have freed three more Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. However, Hamas’ decision to suspend further releases now threatens the entire process.

Netanyahu Under Pressure

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing mounting domestic and international pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages.

Saturday’s release of three Israeli hostages revealed severe malnutrition after 16 months in captivity, intensifying calls for immediate action.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group, warned that time is running out and urged mediating nations to prevent the ceasefire from collapsing.
An Israeli official confirmed that Netanyahu has moved up a Security Cabinet meeting to address the situation and consult with military leaders.

Adding to Netanyahu’s challenges, a judge postponed his testimony in his ongoing corruption trial, citing the deteriorating security situation as the reason.

Tensions Over Trump’s Gaza Comments

The situation is further complicated by former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose recent remarks about Gaza’s future have sparked outrage among Palestinians.

Trump suggested that Palestinians from Gaza would have no right to return if the U.S. were to take control of the territory.
He proposed turning Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East”, a vision rejected by Palestinians who claim Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state.
The remarks exacerbate tensions between the Palestinian leadership and the U.S., as regional allies Jordan and Egypt face pressure to accept displaced Palestinians.

Palestinian Authority Ends Stipends for Prisoners’ Families

In an apparent attempt to improve relations with the U.S., Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that the controversial stipend system for the families of Palestinian prisoners would be abolished.

The previous system determined payments based on time served in prison, including for those convicted of attacks against Israel.
Under the new system, only financially needy families will receive government assistance through an independent foundation.

The U.S. and Israel have long criticized the so-called “martyrs fund”, arguing that it incentivized violence. During Trump’s presidency, the U.S. cut financial aid to the Palestinian Authority over this issue, and Israel froze millions in tax transfers.

While there has been no official U.S. or Israeli reaction to Abbas’ announcement, a senior Palestinian official indicated that they informed the Trump administration in hopes of restoring aid and unfreezing withheld funds.

However, Hamas strongly condemned the decision, calling it “an unpatriotic move that violates one of our core national principles.”

A Fragile Truce Hanging by a Thread

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has been fragile from the start, with multiple disruptions and disputes:

An Israeli female civilian hostage was not released on time, leading to a delay in Palestinian prisoner releases.
Israel temporarily blocked the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza for two days.
Mediators successfully resolved past disputes, but tensions remain high.

If no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase—which involves releasing all remaining hostages and indefinitely extending the ceasefire—the war could resume in early March.

What’s Next?

As tensions escalate:

Israel and Hamas remain locked in a high-stakes negotiation.
Diplomatic mediators, including the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, are working to keep the ceasefire intact.
The fate of dozens of hostages and thousands of Palestinian prisoners hangs in the balance.
Any breakdown in the deal could lead to renewed fighting, worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

With so much at stake, the next few days will be critical in determining whether the ceasefire holds or collapses into another round of war.