US President Donald Trump warned Monday that “all hell” would break loose if every Israeli hostage is not released from Gaza within days, after Hamas threatened to postpone further exchanges under a ceasefire it said Israel was violating, AFP reports.
Trump said he would call for the end of the ceasefire if every Israeli hostage was not released by noon on Saturday.
“But as far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday 12 o’clock — I think it’s an appropriate time — I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Hamas on Monday announced it would stop releasing Israeli hostages until further notice over what the Palestinian group called Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, raising the risk of reigniting the conflict.
Hamas said it made its announcement five days before Saturday’s scheduled hostage release so mediators could pressure Israel to uphold its ceasefire obligations and “keep the door open for the exchange to take place on time.”
Hamas military wing spokesperson Abu Ubaida said Israeli ceasefire violations included delaying Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, shelling and firing upon Palestinians, and stopping humanitarian aid from entering the strip as stipulated under the ceasefire.
Hamas officials said Israel had blocked the entry of 60,000 mobile houses, 200,000 tents, as well as heavy machinery to remove rubble and fuel.
