Hamas released six Israeli hostages on Saturday, but Israel suspended the handover of more than 600 Palestinians it was due to free from its prisons in exchange, putting the fragile ceasefire agreement in jeopardy.
In response, Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group will not hold talks with Israel through mediators on any further steps in the ceasefire agreement unless Palestinian prisoners are released as agreed.
The White House said it supports Israel’s decision to delay releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing the “barbaric treatment” of Israeli hostages by Hamas.
The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said the latest raid across the West Bank was expanding, and that troops would remain in the area’s urban hotspots “for the coming year”, meaning approximately 40,000 people displaced by the assault will not be able to return to their homes.
Delayed talks on the second stage of the deal, which is supposed to involve a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, are due to start this week, but there is uncertainty about whether they will happen and if they do what kind of lasting result can be secured.
