March 19, 2025
CAIRO (AP) — Hamas said Thursday it would go ahead with the release of three more Israeli hostages, paving the way toward resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip.
The terrorist group had threatened to delay the next release of captives after accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce. Israel, with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, has said it will resume fighting if the hostages are not freed.
The announcement from Hamas could allow the ceasefire to continue for now, even after Israel said Thursday that a rocket had been launched from Gaza. But doubts remain about the long-term durability of the truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting Thursday with top military and security officials at the army’s Southern Command headquarters near the Gaza border.
Hamas said it held talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials and was in contact with Qatar’s prime minister about bringing in more shelters, medical supplies, fuel, and heavy equipment for clearing vast amounts of rubble in Gaza — its key demand in recent days. It said in a statement that the mediators had pledged to “remove all hurdles.”
Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV, which is close to the country’s security services, reported that Egypt and Qatar had succeeded in resolving the dispute. The two Arab countries have served as key mediators with Hamas and helped broker the ceasefire, which took effect in January, more than 15 months into the war.
Egyptian media also aired footage showing trucks carrying temporary housing and bulldozers on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza. They reported that the trucks were heading to an Israeli inspection area before crossing into Gaza.
The Israeli military said a rocket was fired from inside Gaza Thursday in what appeared to be the first such incident since the agreement took effect. The projectile landed within the territory and the military said later that it had struck the rocket launcher that had fired it.
Since the ceasefire began, Israeli fire has killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800 others, said Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israeli military says it has fired on people who approach its forces or enter certain areas in violation of the truce.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducting 251 people. More than half have been released in deals with Hamas or other agreements, eight have been rescued and dozens of bodies have been recovered.
The captives are among the only bargaining chips Hamas has left, and it may be difficult to get the group to commit to further releases if it believes the war will resume.
Seventy-three hostages have not yet been released, around half of whom are believed to be dead. Nearly all the remaining hostages are men, including Israeli soldiers.
