Respecting Israel-Gaza truce ‘only way’ to bring back hostages, Hamas says after Trump’s ceasefire comments – live
Hamas official: Trump must remember respecting truce is only way to bring Israeli hostages home
As we have been reporting throughout the blog, Hamas announced yesterday night they were postponing the next scheduled release of hostages on Saturday, blaming Israel for violating the ceasefire deal that came into effect on 19 January.
Hamas said the violations included “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip and targeting them with shelling and gunfire”.
Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for securing the agreement, warned hours later that if all the Israeli hostages held in Gaza are not returned by Saturday at noon he would propose cancelling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and letting “all hell break loose” (in total, 17 Israeli hostages were still due to be released in the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire, eight of whom Israel says are dead).
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri responded to his comments in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday.
“Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the prisoners. The language of threats has no value and only complicates matters,” he said.
Key events
Haroon Siddique
Haroon Siddique is the Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent
A former UK supreme court judge has described Israel’s assault on Gaza as “grossly disproportionate” and said there was “at least an arguable case” that it was genocidal.
Lord Sumption, who served on the UK’s highest court from 2012 to 2018, was one of the highest profile signatories of a letter last year warning that the UK government was breaching international law by arming Israel.
In September, the Labour government suspended some arms export licences to Israel but made an exception for parts for F35 jets – a contentious decision that is being challenged in the courts.
Sumption was speaking to the Guardian before the release of his new book, The Challenges of Democracy: And The Rule of Law, which does not address the situation in Gaza but warns of threats to free speech, which the former judge said included expressions of pro-Palestinian sentiments.
Explaining his decision to sign the letter, Sumption said: “ I thought – and I still think – that the conduct of Israel in Gaza is grossly disproportionate and there’s at least an arguable case that it’s genocidal. One can’t put it higher than that because genocide depends on intent.
That’s quite a difficult thing to establish but I read the provisional decision of the international court (of justice) (ICJ) and it seemed to me that they were saying that that was an arguable proposition.
You can read the full story here:
The Hamas announcement that it will delay the next planned release of Israeli hostages from Gaza has threatened a fragile truce that’s seen as having the potential to wind down 16 months of war.
As the Associated Press reports, the announcement has brought new dismay for Israelis who watched the latest Hamas handover of hostages in growing horror over the weekend as the three emaciated men came into sight.
The next handover of hostages had been scheduled for Saturday, and families say time is running out for those still alive. Israel now awaits what comes from a security Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning, moved up after the Hamas announcement.
“The hostages are in a clear and present danger. Their lives are at risk,” a doctor working with families of hostages, Hagai Levine, warned on Monday. “Delaying their release means that some of them will not survive.”
A look at displacement in Gaza – in pictures
Displaced Palestinian families have taken refuge in tents near their homes in Gaza city.
The scale.
What will happen in Trump’s meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II?
President Donald Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza — perhaps permanently — as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East, the Associated Press reports.
The visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza as Hamas, accusing Israel of violating the truce, has said it is pausing future releases of hostages and as Trump has called for Israel to resume fighting if all those remaining in captivity are not freed by this weekend.
Trump has proposed the US take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with Palestinians in the war-torn territory pushed into neighbouring nations with no right of return.
He suggested on Monday that, if necessary, he would withhold US funding from Jordan and Egypt, longtime US allies and among the top recipients of its foreign aid, as a means of persuading them to accept additional Palestinians from Gaza.
“Yeah, maybe. Sure, why not?” Trump told reporters. “If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid, yes.”
Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinians and, along with other Arab states, has flatly rejected Trump’s plan to relocate civilians from Gaza.
Reopening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of developments in the Middle East, and a tenuous moment in the three-week ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, US president Donald Trump has warned that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining Israeli hostages this Saturday.
Hamas said earlier that it was delaying the release of Israeli hostages indefinitely over what it said were violations of the ceasefire, prompting Israel’s defence minister to put the country’s military on alert with orders to prepare for “any scenario in Gaza”.
It’s just past 8am in Gaza and Jerusalem, and if you are just tuning into this story, here is what you need to know.
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Trump said his plan to “take over Gaza” would not include a right of return for the more than 2 million Palestinians whom he has said have “no alternative” but to leave because of the destruction left by Israel’s military campaign. Trump continued to endorse a plan for the Palestinians to be resettled in Egypt and Jordan, a plan that both countries have rejected. The remarks are the latest effective endorsement of ethnic cleansing by the US president.
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Trump also said he might withhold aid to Jordan and Egypt if those countries do not take Palestinian refugees being relocated from Gaza.
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The US president will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza – perhaps permanently – as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East. The visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire.
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In response to Hamas’ announcement delaying the release of hostages, Israel’s security cabinet has moved forward a meeting to discuss negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire, which had been set for Tuesday evening. The army has cancelled all leave for soldiers in the Gaza division, the Kan news outlet reported, in a sign that Israeli authorities are preparing for the resumption of war.
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Mediators fear a breakdown of the three-week-old ceasefire and have postponed talks until they receive a clear indication of Washington’s intent to continue with the phased deal, according to reports. Qatar had reportedly warned Israeli officials at the weekend that even the first stage of the ceasefire deal was being put in jeopardy by provocative statements from Benjamin Netanyahu and by his government’s approach to talks on a second stage.
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Israeli police raided a leading Palestinian-owned bookshop in Jerusalem and detained two of its owners, accusing them of selling books that supported terrorism, including a children’s colouring book entitled From the Jordan to the Sea.
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Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC), is the first person to be hit with economic and travel sanctions authorised by Trump that target the court over investigations of US citizens or US allies, the White House has confirmed. The US president signed an executive order last week authorising aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC, accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and Israel.
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A former UK supreme court judge described Israel’s assault on Gaza as “grossly disproportionate” and said there was “at least an arguable case” that it was genocidal. Lord Sumption, who served on the UK’s highest court from 2012 to 2018, was one of the highest profile signatories of a letter last year warning that the UK government was breaching international law by arming Israel.
We are pausing this live blog for the moment but for a full report on Trump’s latest comments on the ceasefire deal our reporters in Washington and Jerusalem have this comprehensive read:
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan first to be hit with US sanctions
International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan is the first person to be hit with economic and travel sanctions authorised by US President Donald Trump, according to a report by Reuters.
Khan, who is British, was named on Monday in an annex to an executive order signed by Trump last week.
Trump signed an executive order last week that authorises aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC, accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and Israel.
The hostile action against the ICC comes in response to the court’s decision in November to issue arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel’s defence minister says Hamas announcement a ‘complete violation’ of ceasefire deal
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the Hamas announcement was a “complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement, signalling that fighting could resume, Agence France-Press reports.
“I have instructed the IDF (military) to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza,” Katz said in a statement.
The military later said that it had raised “the level of readiness” around Gaza, and “decided to significantly reinforce the area”.
Negotiators were due to meet in the coming days in Qatar to discuss the implementation of the truce’s first phase, as well as potentially the next phases which have yet to be finalised, Agence France-Presse reports.
Talks on a second phase were meant to begin on the truce’s 16th day, but Israel had refused to send its negotiators to Doha for that.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum campaign group said on Monday it had “requested assistance from the mediating countries to help restore and implement the existing deal effectively”.
Trump suggests permanent relocation of Palestinians in Gaza
Trump’s comments that all “hell will break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages on Saturday comes as he also suggested that Palestinians would not have the right of return to the Gaza Strip under his proposal to redevelop the enclave.
That suggestion appears to contradict what Trump’s own officials have said about any relocation of Palestinians in Gaza only being temporary.
In an excerpt of an interview with Fox News channel’s Bret Baier broadcast on Monday, Trump added that he thought he could make a deal with Jordan and Egypt to take the displaced Palestinians, saying the US gives the two countries “billions and billions of dollars a year”, Reuters reports.
Asked if Palestinians would have the right to return to Gaza, Trump said: “No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing.”
“I’m talking about building a permanent place for them,” he said, adding it would take years for Gaza to be habitable again.
In a shock announcement on 4 February after meeting Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Washington, Trump proposed resettling Gaza’s 2.2 million Palestinians and the US taking control of the seaside enclave to redevelop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Israel military will ‘significantly reinforce’ around Gaza
After Hamas announced its intention to postpone the release of Israeli hostages, the Israeli military said on Monday it would “significantly reinforce” areas around the Gaza Strip.
“In accordance with the situational assessment, it was decided to raise the level of readiness and postpone leave for combat soldiers and operational units in the Southern Command…” the army said in a statement referring to its command responsible for Gaza, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
“Additionally, it was decided to significantly reinforce the area with additional forces, for defensive missions,” it said.
Trump says aid to Jordan and Egypt could be withheld if they don’t take Palestinian refugees
Trump, when speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, also suggested he could withhold aid to Jordan and Egypt if they don’t take Palestinian refugees that he envisions being relocated form Gaza.
What did Trump say exactly?
If you are just tuning into president Trump’s latest comments on Gaza, the US leader has suggested that a precarious ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas should be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza by midday on Saturday.
This is what he said exactly:
“If they’re not here, all hell is going to break out,” Trump said. He added of the ceasefire: “Cancel it, and all bets are off.”
Trump said the final decision would be up to Israel, saying, “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.” But asked if the US would join in a response to Hamas if hostages weren’t freed, Trump added, “Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Egypt backs Palestinians’ right to remain on their land after US meeting
One of the reasons Hamas says it is postponing the next scheduled release of Israeli hostages is what they say are violations of the ceasefire deal, including delaying the return of displaced Palestinians to the north.
Egypt rejected on Monday “any compromise” that would infringe on Palestinians’ rights, in a statement issued after foreign minister Badr Abdelatty met with his US counterpart in Washington.
“Egypt maintains its position rejecting any compromise of these rights, including the right to self-determination, remaining on the land and independence,” said the Egyptian foreign ministry, after US President Donald Trump had suggested removing Palestinians from the war-battered Gaza Strip.
Hamas says ‘door remains open’ for Saturday hostage-prisoner exchange
Hamas said on Monday that the next Gaza hostage-prisoner exchange may still take place as scheduled under the truce deal with Israel, after the group’s armed wing had announced an indefinite postponement, according to Agence France-Presse.
The Palestinian militant group said that “Hamas has intentionally made this announcement five days before the scheduled prisoner handover, allowing mediators ample time to pressure the (Israeli) occupation towards fulfilling its obligations.”
“The door remains open for the prisoner exchange batch to proceed as planned, once the occupation complies.”
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
The latest development is that US President Donald Trump has said that if all the hostages held in Gaza are not returned by Saturday at noon he would propose canceling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and letting “all hell break loose.”
Trump also said, however, “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump also said he might withhold aid to Jordan and Egypt if they don’t take Palestinian refugees being relocated from Gaza.
It comes after Hamas said it was delaying the release of Israeli hostages indefinitely over “violations” of the ceasefire deal, prompting Israel’s defence minister to put the country’s military on alert with orders to prepare for “any scenario in Gaza”.
Mediators fear a breakdown of the three-week-old ceasefire, Egyptian security sources told Reuters, and have postponed talks until they receive a clear indication of Washington’s intent to continue with the phased deal.
Also today:
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Donald Trump said his plan to “take over Gaza” would not include a right of return for the more than 2 million Palestinians that he has said have “no alternative” but to leave because of the destruction left by Israel’s military campaign. Trump continued to endorse a plan for the Palestinians to be resettled in Egypt and Jordan, a plan that both countries have rejected. The remarks are the latest effective endorsement of ethnic cleansing by the US president.
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Hamas’s announcement prompted Israel’s defence minister to put the country’s military on alert with orders to prepare for “any scenario in Gaza”. Israel’s security cabinet has moved forward a meeting to discuss negotiations on second phase, which had been set for Tuesday evening. The army has cancelled all leave for soldiers in the Gaza division, the Kan news outlet reported, in a sign that Israeli authorities are preparing for the resumption of war.
-
Mediators fear a breakdown of the three-week-old ceasefire and have postponed talks until they receive a clear indication of Washington’s intent to continue with the phased deal, according to reports. Qatar had reportedly warned Israeli officials at the weekend that even the first stage of the ceasefire deal was being put in jeopardy by provocative statements from Benjamin Netanyahu and by his government’s approach to talks on a second stage.
-
Israeli police raided a leading Palestinian-owned bookshop in Jerusalem and detained two of its owners, accusing them of selling books that supported terrorism, including a children’s colouring book entitled From the Jordan to the Sea.
-
Karim Khan, the international criminal court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor, is the person to be hit with economic and travel sanctions authorised by Trump that target the court over investigations of US citizens or US allies, the White House has confirmed. The US president signed an executive order last week authorising aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC, accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and Israel.
-
A former UK supreme court judge described Israel’s assault on Gaza as “grossly disproportionate” and said there was “at least an arguable case” that it was genocidal. Lord Sumption, who served on the UK’s highest court from 2012 to 2018, was one of the highest profile signatories of a letter last year warning that the UK government was breaching international law by arming Israel.
