Hamas says it will release Israeli hostages as planned amid fears over collapse of ceasefire

Hamas has said it will release Israeli hostages as planned and will implement the Gaza ceasefire deal.

It had previously threatened to delay the next release of hostages after accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, and delaying Palestinians’ return to the north of Gaza.

In response, Israel, with the backing of US President Donald Trump, had threatened to renew its offensive if hostages were not freed.

But Hamas has now indicated three more Israeli hostages would be freed on Saturday.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators have affirmed they will work to “remove all hurdles” to ensure the ceasefire holds, the group added in a statement.

Israel is yet to comment on the Hamas announcement.

The ceasefire began on 19 January, bringing a pause to 16 months of war in Gaza.

In its first stage, which will last 42 days, Hamas is meant to free 33 Israeli hostages taken during its attack on 7 October 2023, which sparked the war.

So far it has released 21 hostages – 16 Israelis and five Thai – in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli custody.

Last week, the release of three Israeli men gave rise to concerns about their gaunt appearance, and what that said about the conditions they had been kept in during 16 months in captivity.

Five Thai citizens were also reunited with their families at the weekend following their release last month.

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Israel and Hamas are expected to begin negotiations on a second phase of the deal, which would extend the truce and see all Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza in exchange for the freedom of the remaining hostages – though little progress appears to have been made so far.

Negotiations have been further complicated in recent weeks by Mr Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians so the US can take over Gaza.

When Mr Trump hosted Jordan’s king on Tuesday, he reiterated his controversial idea, saying the enclave’s population of over two million would not be able to return but would have a better, safer future elsewhere.

Mr Trump said: “It’s a war-torn area, we’re going to hold it, we’re going to take it… Gaza the way it is, civilisation has been wiped out in Gaza. It’s going to be a great economic development.”

Much of Gaza lies in ruins after Israel’s war to destroy Hamas.

More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

At least 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage when Hamas launched its massacre in Israel on 7 October 2023.