Hamas to free three hostages on Saturday as ceasefire remains fragile

Hamas has confirmed that it will release three Israeli hostages as planned on Saturday, raising hopes that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will continue to hold.

The militant group had threatened to delay the transfer of hostages after accusing Israel of not fulfilling its promise to allow tents and shelters into the territory.

In response, US President Donald Trump warned there would be dire consequences if Hamas did not meet the hostage release deadline.

It is understood that Egypt and Qatar, who helped to broker last month’s ceasefire in Gaza, played a role in resolving the latest dispute between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas confirmed that its delegation had met with Egyptian officials in Cairo and was in communication with Qatar’s prime minister about bringing much-needed supplies to Gaza, including shelters, medicine, fuel, and heavy equipment to clear the rubble.

The Israeli government also clarified its position on Thursday, after several days of uncertainty caused by Trump’s demand that Hamas should release all remaining hostages by Saturday.

David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, said Israel expected three hostages to be released this weekend, as per the ceasefire agreement.

“There is a framework in place for the release of our hostages,” Mencer said. “That framework makes clear that three live hostages must be released by Hamas terrorists on Saturday.”

Seventy-three of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas and its allies have yet to be freed. Half of them are believed to have died during their captivity.

In total, armed Palestinian groups killed some 1,200 people during their attacks against southern Israel on 7 October, 2023.

More than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed during Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza, which has left most of the territory in ruins.

At its height, the fighting displaced 90% of the territory’s population of 2.3 million. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have returned in recent weeks to what remains of their homes.

Trump caused uproar last week when he suggested that Palestinians should be made to leave the territory, which would then be developed into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Following a meeting with the US president in the White House on Tuesday, King Abdullah of Jordan said his country was “steadfast” against “the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank”.

“This is the unified Arab position,” he added.