Hamas has officially announced the suspension of all forthcoming hostage releases from Gaza until further notice.
The group has attributed this decision to what it describes as Israel’s violations of a ceasefire agreement.
Hamas claims that Israel has delayed the return of displaced individuals and obstructed the flow of humanitarian aid and supplies into the Gaza Strip.
In a statement made via the group’s official Telegram channel on Monday, Hamas asserted:
“Over the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has been closely monitoring the enemy’s breaches and its failure to adhere to the stipulated terms of the agreement.”
The alleged violations cited by Hamas include the “prolonged delays in the repatriation of displaced persons to the northern Gaza Strip,” where they claim many have faced direct attacks from shelling and gunfire in various locations across Gaza.
Furthermore, the group accuses Israel of preventing the entry of essential relief supplies as per the accords reached, while asserting that they have fulfilled all of their obligations under the agreement.
As a result, Hamas has declared that the scheduled release of Zionist prisoners, set for Saturday, February 15, 2025, will be postponed indefinitely.
The group emphasized that this decision will remain in effect until Israel demonstrates a commitment to honor the terms of the agreement and compensates for the obligations that have purportedly been neglected over recent weeks.
Hamas reiterated its “unwavering commitment” to the terms of the agreement, contingent upon Israel’s compliance.
This development follows an internationally brokered hostage-prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel, which was established on January 15.
This deal has so far led to the release of 21 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are imprisoned due to involvement in serious violence against Israeli civilians.
Out of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas during the conflict that erupted on October 7, 73 remain in captivity in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that of those, 34 hostages are now believed to be deceased.
