Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an ultimatum to Hamas on Tuesday: Release the remaining hostages who are alive by noon Saturday or the ceasefire agreement will end.
“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the [Israel Defense Forces] will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a post on X Tuesday.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in phase one of three phases. During phase one, 33 hostages are to be released. Among the 17 still waiting to be released during the first six weeks of the deal, nine are believed to be alive.
Netanyahu said his Security Cabinet met for four hours and made the decision to issue the ultimatum based upon the poor health of the three male hostages who were released on Feb. 8. All three of the men were very thin and weak upon their…
