JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli authoritative says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the service to beef up troops successful and astir the Gaza Strip aft Hamas threatened to telephone disconnected a scheduled hostage merchandise connected Saturday.
The authoritative said Netanyahu besides ordered officials “to hole for each script if Hamas doesn’t merchandise our hostages this Saturday.”
The mentation plans travel aft Netanyahu met with his Security Cabinet for 4 hours connected Tuesday to sermon Hamas’ threat, which has enactment the fragile ceasefire statement successful danger.
Under the ceasefire, Hamas has released 21 hostages successful a bid of exchanges for Palestinian prisoners. But it said Monday it was delaying the adjacent merchandise of 3 much hostages aft accusing Israel of failing to let capable assistance into Gaza nether the deal.
President Donald Trump has said Israel should cancel the full ceasefire if each of the astir 70 hostages held by Hamas aren’t freed by Saturday.
The Israeli official, speaking connected information of anonymity to sermon a closed-door meeting, was not wide if Netanyahu’s bid referred to each hostages, oregon the 3 scheduled for merchandise connected Saturday.
Originally Published: February 11, 2025 astatine 11:40 AM EST