In a Monday evening statement, following the Hamas announcement that it would postpone the release of its next hostages, IDF raised the alert level in Southern Command and suspended leave for combatants.
The military also decided to reinforce the units in this area. The IDF announced on Tuesday morning that the ceremony to dedicate an area of forest in southern Israel as the “Iron Swords Forest”, which was to be held with the Jewish National Fund, had been postponed due to increased security.
The military said, “According to the situational analysis, it has been decided to increase the level of preparedness and postpone the leave for combat troops and operational units within the Southern Command.”
The decision was made to reinforce the area significantly with additional forces to carry out defensive missions. The reinforcement of the forces will enhance the preparedness for different scenarios in the region and strengthen the defense.
The IDF announced the decision after Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubayda said that the release of hostages will “be delayed until further notice” citing Israeli violations and failures to adhere to the terms over the last three weeks.
“The handover of the [Israeli] prisoners who were scheduled to be released next Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, until [Israel] commits to and compensates for the past weeks retroactively, and we affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as [Israel] commits to them,” Obeida said in the statement.
Following the announcement of the postponement, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas calling for all remaining hostages to be released by Saturday at noon.
The president told reporters Monday in the Oval Office that if all Gaza hostages were not returned by Saturday at noon, he would cancel the ceasefire.
“Let all hell break loose,” Trump added.
“As far as I’m concerned if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at noon, I think it’s an appropriate time, I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by noon on Saturday,” Trump told the reporters.
When asked by a journalist for clarification on what he meant by “all hell is going to break loose,” Trump responded, “You’ll find out and they’ll find out. Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Trump said, “These people are sick and they will find out Saturday what I mean.”
Sami Abu Zuhri a Hamas senior official who lives outside Gaza condemned Trump’s comments, saying that “Trump’s threats have no value and are likely to cause complications. He must not forget that both sides have an agreement to honor. This is the only way to bring the hostages back.”
The delay in releasing the remaining hostages has increased concern for their well-being. Israeli medical officials have already said that the conditions of hostages who were released later are worse than those who were released earlier.
Kibbutz Kissufim, however, announced Tuesday morning that Shlomo Mannsour, aged 86 and the oldest hostage in Gaza, was murdered while in captivity.
The announcement stated, “This is one the most difficult days in our kibbutz’s history. Our hearts are broken because we couldn’t bring him back alive. The community mourns his death and is united by grief and pain.”
Kibbutz leaders have called on world leaders and the government to “work resolutely to” return all hostages to Israel.
As part of the current ceasefire, Hamas released 16 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including terrorists convicted of crimes, and increased humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
Five Thai workers, who were taken hostage during the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, by the terrorist group, have also been released.
The IDF has confirmed that 36 people have died in Gaza, but the conditions of many others are unknown.
Hamas had to release 33 Israelis hostages in the first phase and the negotiations for the second phase to start on Sunday.