Hamas was expected Friday to name three captives it will release this weekend as part of a planned exchange for Palestinian detainees, local media said, after days of uncertainty in which Israel threatened to scrap a nearly month-old Gaza ceasefire deal.
Israel warned Thursday that the Palestinian group must release three living captives this weekend or face a resumption of the war in Gaza after Hamas said it would pause releases over apparent Israeli violations of the truce.
Hamas had previously accused Israel of holding up the delivery of heavy machinery needed to clear war debris, with bulldozers reportedly lining up at Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza waiting to enter.
The January 19 ceasefire, which largely halted Israel’s 15-month offensive in Gaza, has been under heightened pressure since US President Donald Trump made a shock proposal to take over the territory.
The ceasefire’s six-week first phase has seen Israeli captives released in small groups in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.
