- विज्ञापन -
Tel Aviv [Israel]: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a warning to Hamas, stating that Israel will maintain a long-term presence in parts of Gaza unless the hostages being held there are released, according to CNN.
A ceasefire that had been in place for two months collapsed on Tuesday after Israel resumed bombings in Gaza, breaking the calm that had allowed for the exchange of dozens of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Katz mentioned on Friday that he has directed the Israeli military to take control of additional areas in Gaza while evacuating residents and expanding security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and their soldiers. He emphasized, “The more Hamas refuses to release the kidnapped, the more territory it will lose to Israel.”
Despite Katz’s remarks, Hamas announced that it is still engaging with mediators to seek a way to reinstate the ceasefire that had been effective from January 19 until Tuesday. Katz also indicated that Israel is following a proposal from U.S. President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which calls for the release of all hostages—both alive and deceased—prior to and in two stages, with a ceasefire in between, ensuring Israeli security isn’t compromised.
In a statement on Friday, Hamas confirmed that it is still considering Witkoff’s proposal to prolong the initial phase of the ceasefire-hostage agreement into early April. The group reiterated its demand for a permanent cessation of hostilities, stating it is exploring various options to achieve a prisoner exchange deal that would release detainees, end the conflict, and lead to a withdrawal. Witkoff’s recent proposal aimed to secure the release of a small number of living hostages held by Hamas in return for extending the ceasefire, with currently fewer than half of the 59 remaining hostages in Gaza believed to be alive.
