Three weeks after the signing of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the latter has announced that it has once postponed the exchange between Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners that were to be carried out on Saturday by both sides: five have been carried out so far, during which the Palestinian group has released 21 prisoners and Israel has released 730 Palestinian prisoners.

In a statement released Monday, Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigade, denounced the suspension of the exchange as a result of Israel’s violation of several conditions of the Meni, including the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza later than the agreed deadline, or continuing to bomb and attack various areas of the list.

Hamas’ decision has also been conditioned by the state of health of Palestinian prisoners returned in prisoner exchanges: Al-Qassam, spokesman for the Brigades, said the situation of many detainees returning to Gaza was "regrettable". The Israeli government has also made the same accusation about the Israeli captives, as Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that the three hostages returned during the exchange that took place over the weekend were "very weak."

Alarms activated

This decision by Hamas has called into question the ceasefire agreement with Israel, which has led to protests in Tel Aviv against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstrators have demanded that the conditions of the Meni be complied with; most of them belong to the family of Israelis who are still being held hostage in Gaza.

"Unless there is an exchange of prisoners, there is a very good chance that hell will open up in Gaza," U.S. President Donald Trump said in response to the decision announced by Hamas. Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, has ordered the country’s troops on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip to remain “on high alert.”