Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas said the “door remains open” for the militant group to release Israeli hostages under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal, if mediators put pressure on Israel to respect the agreement.
Hamas said it will delay the exchange of hostages planned for Saturday until further notice because of Israeli breaches of the truce.
US President Donald Trump warned “all hell would break out” if the captives were not freed by “Saturday at 12 o'clock”.
In a statement on Telegram released on Tuesday but dated on Monday, Hamas said the “door remains open for the exchange to proceed as planned if Israel abides by its obligations”. It added that it made the announcement five days before the scheduled release to give mediators time to put pressure on Israel to adhere to the terms of the truce.
Hamas accused Israel of breaching the agreement “on a regular basis” and called for strict adherence, rather than selectively complying to the terms.
The group said Israel delayed the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza. It also said the Israeli military shelled and shot at Gazans across the enclave, obstructed the entry of tents and machinery to remove rubble and delayed the delivery of medicine.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis are ready to launch attacks on Israel if it resumes attacks on Gaza and does not commit to the ceasefire deal, the group’s leader Abdulmalik Al Houthi said in a televised speech on Tuesday.
The group had attacked Israeli and other vessels in the Red Sea, disturbing global shipping lanes, in what they said were acts of solidarity with Gaza’s Palestinians during Israel’s war on the enclave.
Israeli troops on Monday completed their withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor, which split the enclave in two, and hundreds of Palestinians began returning to their homes in the north. Hours after Israeli troops withdrew, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli troops on Sunday shot and killed three civilians in Gaza city.
“The postponement of the release of prisoners is a warning message to the occupation,” Hamas said.
The tension comes during the first phase of a fragile pause in the Gaza war and before talks on the second phase take place. Under the terms of the ceasefire, brokered by the Egypt, Qatar and the US, Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.
During the first six weeks of the truce, Hamas had agreed to release 33 hostages captured in the attack on October 7, 2023, in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Both sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire began on January 19, releasing 21 hostages and more than 730 jailed Palestinians.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Hamas's plan to delay the next hostage release was “a complete violation” of the agreement, adding that he instructed the military to be at the highest level of alert. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hostage co-ordinator said the government intended to live up to its end of the deal.
Mr Netanyahu also moved up a security cabinet meeting, Israeli media reported.
The Israeli government faces renewed demands to negotiate the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which observers say is far more complicated than the first phase because it calls for the release of all remaining hostages and extends the truce indefinitely. Hostage families have increased their pressure on authorities after the condition of the hostages released at the weekend raised concerns about the well-being of the remaining captives.
Hamas's announcement came as Mr Trump repeated his proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza and have the US take ownership of the war-ravaged enclave, suggesting Gazans could be relocated to Jordan and Egypt. Amman and Cairo have repeatedly rejected the suggestion.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
More on animal trafficking
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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