A senior Hamas official, Sami Abu-Zuhri, stressed that the only viable path to bringing Israeli prisoners back home is for both sides to honour the ceasefire agreement currently in place between Israel and Hamas.
In a conversation with Reuters on Tuesday, Abu-Zuhri condemned threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he would cancel the ceasefire if all Israeli hostages were not released by Saturday. According to Abu-Zuhri, continuing to apply pressure through threats will only worsen the situation, asserting that both parties need to respect the terms of the ceasefire.
The hostages, initially due for release under the ceasefire brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have been delayed by Hamas, accusing Israel of violating the truce by continuing airstrikes on Gaza. Meanwhile, President Trump's controversial proposal to take over Gaza and forcibly displace its population has stirred outrage in the Arab world, leading to potential tensions during his upcoming meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah. For now, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.