As Israeli and American officials continued to threaten Hamas on Wednesday, several reports said Egypt and Qatar were intensifying efforts to save the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, with Cairo and the Palestinian terror group reportedly optimistic that the impasse could be solved.
The ceasefire has looked increasingly fragile since Hamas said this week it was postponing the release of any more Israeli hostages held in Gaza until further notice, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement. US President Donald Trump then warned that “hell will break loose” if the hostages are not released by noon on Saturday, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently added that Israel will resume “intense fighting” if Hamas does not meet the deadline. While Netanyahu did not specify whether Hamas had to release all remaining hostages, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff warned Wednesday that there would be “a big problem” if they weren’t released by Trump’s deadline. (Read More)
