Jerusalem, Feb 12: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be cancelled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the move was unanimously approved by his Cabinet Ministers during a four-hour meeting held in the afternoon.

Under the decision, “if Hamas does not return our hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated,” he said.

All of Israel’s Cabinet Ministers welcomed US President Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan and his ceasefire ultimatum, the Prime Minister added.

Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Hamas announced that the handover of hostages scheduled for Saturday would be postponed until further notice.

On Monday, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement that during the past three weeks, the resistance leadership had monitored Israel’s failures to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Accordingly, the handover of the hostages will be postponed until further notice and until Israel ensures adherence to the deal and compensates for the past weeks retroactively, Obeida noted.

“We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them.”

In response, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday in a statement that Hamas’ announcement is “a complete violation of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal”.

Katz said he had ordered the IDF to “prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the communities near the enclave”.

The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it would increase its forces near the Gaza Strip and call up reservists after the Israeli Cabinet decided to cancel the ceasefire with Hamas if the Israeli hostages were not returned by Saturday.

A military spokesperson confirmed in a statement, “It was decided to reinforce the area with additional troops, including reservists.”

The spokesperson emphasised that this decision was made “in accordance with the situational assessment”.

The spokesperson further said, “The reinforcements and mobilisation of reservists are being implemented to prepare for various scenarios.”

Trump also issued an ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, saying if all Israeli hostages were not released from Gaza by noon on Saturday, he would propose cancelling the ceasefire agreement and letting “all hell break loose”.

These developments came after an Israeli delegation returned from Qatar, where indirect talks were held regarding the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and amid continuous regional and international outcry against Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks made recently concerning Gaza.

On February 4, Trump announced a controversial plan to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate Palestinians from the enclave during a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Washington.

Two days later, Netanyahu suggested during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 that “Saudis can establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have plenty of land there.”

On Monday, when being asked in an interview with Fox News if the Palestinians now residing in Gaza, who under Trump’s proposal will face forced displacement to make way for the rebuilding of the enclave, would “have the right to return,” Trump said, “No, they wouldn’t.”

Reacting to Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks, many countries have voiced their rejection of displacing Palestinians from their homeland and their support for the two-state solution.

Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on January 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — were released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails. During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.

Amman, Feb 11: Jordan said that a convoy carrying more than 4,000 tents has arrived in Gaza to help provide safe shelter for families who have lost their homes amid the growing humanitarian challenges due to the war.

The aid was sent by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) as part of Jordan’s efforts to support the Palestinians affected by the difficult conditions they are going through, according to a statement by the organisation released on Monday.

The organisation said it will continue to provide all necessary support and relief to the people of Gaza in these challenging times.

JHCO emphasised that this aid reflects Jordan’s steadfast commitment to supporting the people of Gaza through the uninterrupted land bridge delivering essential relief and humanitarian supplies.

The organisation reaffirmed that its humanitarian convoys will continue, driven by the humanitarian and fraternal duty to provide all necessary aid and relief to the people of Gaza during the current circumstances.

The Higher Committee for Reconstruction in Palestine delivered 4,500 tents to the JHCO on February 3 to be sent to the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The committee, which has been formed by the Jordanian Engineers and Contractors Association, has launched a campaign to support people in Gaza.

Head of the committee Ahmad Zo’ubi, said that the committee will deliver an additional 3,500 tents to JHCO next week and another 4,000 tents from China during this month, bringing the total number of tents to 12,000.

He said that these efforts are part of the committee’s commitment to supporting the steadfastness of the people of Gaza and alleviating their large-scale suffering in coordination with various official and charitable organisations to ensure the quick delivery of aid.

So far, Jordan has sent 24,891 tents to support displaced individuals, including 11,000 tents that were delivered since the latest humanitarian truce began.

Jordan, represented by the JHCO, has been actively sending relief aid including shelter materials, clothing, and other essentials over the past months to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s population.

To date, Jordan has dispatched 152 aid convoys, comprising 5,992 trucks carrying over 100,000 tons of humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, and medical supplies.

Gaza, Feb 10: Israeli troops killed four Palestinians, including an elderly woman, in two separate incidents in the north and south of the Gaza Strip, the Gaza-based health authorities said.

“Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces while returning to their homes near the Kuwait Roundabout, east of Gaza City. Their bodies were transferred to the Baptist Hospital,” the health authorities said in a press statement.

In a separate incident, the health authorities reported that an elderly woman from the Mahna family was shot dead by Israeli forces east of the town of Al-Qarara, near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday.

The killings follow the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Netzarim Corridor — a strip of land that bisected Gaza from north to south.

Meanwhile, the health authorities announced that the death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, has risen to 48,189, with 111,640 others injured.

Gaza’s health authorities reported eight deaths and two injuries in the past 24 hours, including seven bodies recovered from the rubble and one additional fatality.

They warned that more victims remain trapped beneath the debris in areas that are difficult to access due to ongoing shelling.

On Sunday, the health authorities urged Palestinian residents to donate blood, warning that supplies have been completely depleted after 15 months of war.

“Our blood bank is empty, and we need immediate donations to save lives,” they said.