Hamas has violated the terms of the Gaza ceasefire agreement for the second time in 24 hours by failing to provide Israel with an updated list detailing the status of hostages still held captive.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas was required to inform Israel by Motzei Shabbos which of the remaining 26 hostages — women, children, elderly, and infirm individuals classified as “humanitarian” cases – are alive. So far, only seven hostages of the 33 included in the first phase of the agreement have been freed in exchange for the release of approximately 300 Palestinian security prisoners.

Earlier in the day, Israel had already accused Hamas of violating the deal by failing to release civilian hostage Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be freed before soldiers. Instead, Hamas released four female soldiers — Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag — who had been held captive for 477 days.

In response to the earlier breach, Israel announced it would delay permitting displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, citing Hamas’s failure to uphold its commitments.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)