Hamas says it will continue hostage release under ceasefire agreement

Sources say Hamas withdrew offer to release three additional hostages on Saturday after Israel postponed entry to Gaza of heavy machinery, tents and caravans

Widespread destruction in Gaza city's Al Zeitoun neighbourhood, in northern Gaza. EPA

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Hamas will continue to implement its ceasefire agreement with Israel, including releasing hostages as scheduled, the militant group said on Thursday, in an announcement that appeared to resolve a dispute threatening the truce.

Hamas meanwhile offered to release six hostages on Saturday, three more than scheduled, sources said. They told The National the offer was conditional on Israel allowing the entry into Gaza of heavy machinery to remove an estimated 50 million tonnes of rubble, as well as the delivery of tents and caravans to house homeless Palestinians.

Hamas later withdrew the offer after Israel informed Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it was postponing their entry, the sources said.

"Hamas will now release only three hostages on Saturday as scheduled," said one source.

Palestinians use a bulldozer to clear a road in southern Gaza. Hamas wants more heavy machinery to be allowed into the enclave. Reuters

Machinery, tents and caravans are lined up on the Egyptian side of the Gaza border, according to live images on regional television networks.

This week the militant group had said it would defer the release of three hostages scheduled for Saturday, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the deal that began on January 19. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday threatened to resume fighting, ordering troops to mass on the border, while US President Donald Trump said he would “let hell break out” if the release did not go ahead.

A Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil Al Hayya, which arrived in Egypt on Wednesday, is meanwhile continuing talks with mediators from Egypt and Qatar.

“The talks focused on the necessity of abiding by the implementation of all the provisions of the agreement, especially with regard to securing housing for our people and the urgent entry of caravans, tents, heavy equipment, medical supplies, fuel, and the continued flow of relief,” said Hamas.

An Israeli government spokesman said the hostages to be released on Saturday must be alive.

The ceasefire "framework makes clear that three live hostages must be released by Hamas terrorists on Saturday", Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told reporters,. "If those three are not released, if Hamas does not return our hostages, by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end."

The Israel-Gaza began when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and abducting around 250. In response, Israel began an air and ground war in Gaza that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians.

Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages during the first, six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire began, exchanging 21 hostages for more than 730 jailed Palestinians.

Negotiators hope a second phase of ceasefire talks will secure agreement on releasing the remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.