Hamas is now being quoted as saying the "door remains open" to the next exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners - due to take place on Saturday.

In a follow-up statement, reported by the AFP news agency, Hamas says it "intentionally made this announcement five days before the scheduled prisoner handover, allowing mediators ample time to pressure the [Israeli] occupation towards fulfilling its obligations".

Earlier, when announcing it would suspend future hostage releases, Hamas said the move was down to Israel "violating" the ceasefire agreement - including "delaying the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and failing to allow the entry of humanitarian aid in all its agreed-upon forms".

Israel has not responded to these latest remarks, but said earlier that it was prepared "for any possible scenario in Gaza".

The UN has weighed in on Hamas's decision to delay hostage releases, saying Israel and Hamas should uphold their sides of the fragile ceasefire agreement.

"We want to make sure that all parties abide by their stated agreements under the ceasefire, and it's crucial that they uphold all the relevant aspects of the agreement and all the relevant timelines," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq tells reporters.

Pressed on whether today's statement by Hamas amounts to a violation of the ceasefire, he says "any delays" would be an "issue".

"We want to make sure that there are no delays, no hold ups and all of the implementations of the agreement go ahead as previously planned."

Image source, Getty Images

Hamas's announcement today did not reference Donald Trump or US policy - but it comes after strong remarks made last week by the US president about the US taking ownership of Gaza and redeveloping it.

His proposal included the resettlement of Palestinians outside of the territory.

He has since doubled down on the plan, telling Fox News Palestinians would have no right of return once ousted from Gaza, clarifying: "I'm talking about building a permanent place for them." He did not say where this "place" would be.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - who stood beside Trump at a White House televised briefing when he first outlined the plan - later praised the proposal as "revolutionary and creative". At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, back in Israel, he said Trump was "determined to carry it out" and "we are discussing it".

But Trump's proposal, which would breach international law, has been almost universally rejected, including by Arab states.

The Saudi foreign ministry has said it will not accept "any infringement on the Palestinians' unalienable rights, and any attempts at displacement". And Hamas itself said last week that Trump's plan would "put oil on the fire" in the region.

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Danor Aharon

People have gathered in Tel Aviv tonight to mark the 24th birthday of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, and are calling for all those remaining in Gaza to be freed.

"They must get out - Alon and the rest of the innocent kidnapped hostages are for over a year in the most horrifying conditions," Mia Goldstein, who is among the crowd, tells me over WhatsApp.

She says there should be "immense pressure on anyone who can get them out", as she describes Hamas’ announcement tonight as "horrifying".

"As we have seen from the last hostages that have returned, every delay is crucial for their lives."

Alon was taken hostage from the Nova festival. Today marks his second birthday in captivity.

Image source, Paulina Patimer

Image source, Reuters

Earlier this afternoon, Hamas announced its decision to delay further releases of Israeli hostages. Here's everything you need to know:

• Hamas announced the suspension on Telegram, blaming Israel's "failure to comply with the terms of the [ceasefire] agreement"
• The statement accused Israel of "delaying the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza", "targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip", and of breaching the agreement on aid supplies
• In response, Israel accused Hamas of a "complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages"
• "I have instructed the IDF [Israeli military] to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the communities," Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned
• The next release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners was scheduled for Saturday, with three Israelis due to be handed over

The Reuters news agency is citing an unnamed Israeli official as saying Benjamin Netanyahu has brought forward a meeting of his security cabinet.

The Israeli prime minister will now hold an assessment with the cabinet today, rather than tomorrow, after Hamas's decision to delay the release of hostages, the report says.

As a reminder, Defence Minister Israel Katz said earlier the Israeli military had been briefed to "prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza".

Former Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Hamas' announcement should have "one real-life response: a massive fire attack on Gaza, from the air and land".

The far-right former security minister resigned from the Israeli government in January, in protest at the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Ben-Gvir also writes on X there should be a halt to humanitarian aid reaching the Gaza Strip, including electricity, fuel and water.

More than three weeks into the ceasefire, a sign of growing tensionspublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February

17:35 GMT 10 February

Wyre Davies
Reporting from Jerusalem

The first stage of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has delivered positive results: 21 hostages (16 Israelis and five Thai nationals) released from Gaza in exchange for more than 500 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

But, more than halfway through the first stage, Hamas has issued a statement saying it's postponing the next scheduled release of hostages - this coming Saturday - because of what, it said, were failures by Israel to keep abide to the agreement, including continued attacks against targets inside Gaza.

Israel has responded angrily, accusing Hamas of violating the agreement and its obligation to release more hostages. Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had now instructed the IDF to prepare for any possible scenario in Gaza.

These developments reflect growing tensions as efforts are made to extend the fragile ceasefire into a second phase.

The Israeli government was furious at the emaciated state of the last three hostages to be released.

For its part, this announcement by Hamas may be a way of responding to US President Donald Trump's controversial proposals for the future of Gaza.

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Jerusalem

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum is calling on mediating countries to urgently "help restore and implement" the ceasefire deal, following the announcement from Hamas's armed wing that it would delay this week’s release.

"Time is of the essence," the group, which represents relatives of the hostages, stresses in a statement, citing the "shocking conditions" of the three men returned on Saturday.

"All hostages must be urgently rescued from this horrific situation," it says.

The group adds that it stands with the Israeli government and encourages "maintaining the conditions that will ensure the successful continuation of the agreement".

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

On Saturday, Hamas freed three Israeli hostages from Gaza and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners.

The three Israelis - Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy - were handed over to the Red Cross, with a Hamas official and Red Cross representative signing paperwork on a stage. The men were then paraded, flanked by men with guns.

Concerns were later raised about their health, with Sharabi's family describing their shock at his "gaunt" appearance. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the men were "returning after 491 days of hell, starved, emaciated and pained".

Meanwhile, of the 183 Palestinian prisoners released, seven were admitted to hospital in Ramallah because of poor health, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club told reporters.

"All the prisoners who were released today are in need of medical care, treatment, and examinations as a result of the brutality they were subjected to during the past months," the group's Abdullah al-Zaghari said.

Photographs showed Palestinians crying and embracing as they were reunited in the occupied West Bank.

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining us, Hamas has announced it's delaying the release of Israeli hostages until further notice - blaming Israel for a "failure to comply with the terms of the [ceasefire] agreement".

In response, Israel says it's Hamas that is breaching the ceasefire deal.

Here's a reminder of who's been released as part of the ceasefire's first phase:

• 33 Israelis were due to be released in the first phase
• 16 have been returned - 17 are yet to be handed over
• Of those 17, Israel says eight are dead
• That means nine Israelis are still due to be freed
• Five Thai nationals have also been freed by Hamas, under a separate agreement

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel said it would release about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners - hundreds have been freed so far.

An Israeli delegation is currently in Qatar to negotiate the second phase of the deal, which would see more hostages and prisoners released.

It's not yet clear how today's news will impact those truce talks.

Image source, Reuters

Israel has now responded to Hamas's decision to suspend hostage releases. A statement from Defence Minister Israel Katz says:

"Hamas' announcement to stop releasing Israeli hostages is a complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages.

"I have instructed the IDF to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the communities.

"We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7."

The next release of Israeli hostages was due to take place on Saturday.

It would have seen another three Israelis, taken hostage in the 7 October 2023 attacks, freed by Hamas.

In return, Israel would have released a number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, as part of the ceasefire agreement which began last month.

Such exchanges have taken place regularly since then.

In our next post, we'll bring you some details of the people who've already been freed.

Image source, EPA

Here's the full statement from Hamas's armed wing:

"Over the past three weeks, the leadership of the resistance has monitored the enemy’s violations and its failure to comply with the terms of the agreement.

"These violations include delaying the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and failing to allow the entry of humanitarian aid in all its agreed-upon forms.

"Meanwhile, the resistance has fully honoured its commitments.

"Accordingly, the release of the Zionist prisoners, which was scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, pending the enemy’s compliance and the retroactive fulfillment of the past weeks’ obligations.

"We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation adheres to them."

We'll bring you Israel's reaction as soon as we have it.

Hamas's armed wing says it will delay the release of more Israeli hostages "until further notice". Three were due to be released on Saturday.