Gaza ceasefire faces new hurdle as Israel claims Hamas violated agreement twice

The 2nd swap in ceasefire agreement took place on Sat, during which, as per Israel PM Netanyahu, Hamas didn't free a hostage who was supposed to be released.

A disagreement between Israel and Palestinian militant outfit Hamas has put the Gaza ceasefire to a fresh test as the former has alleged two violations of the truce deal by the latter.

Palestinians wait to be allowed to return to their homes in northern Gaza after they were displaced to the south at Israel's order during the war, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, January 26, 2025. (REUTERS)

Israel said on Sunday that Hamas had violated a ceasefire agreement, which came into effect one week ago and has so far resulted in the release of seven hostages and dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

The second leg of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement took place on Saturday, during which, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, Hamas did not free a hostage who was supposed to be released.

"During the execution of the second phase of the swap yesterday, Hamas committed two violations. Arbel Yehud, a civilian hostage who was scheduled for release on Saturday, has not been freed, and the detailed list of all hostages' statuses has not been provided," a news agency AFP report cited a statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

The disagreement between Israel and Hamas over the hostage is delaying the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, putting pressure on a fragile week-old truce.

4 hostages released by Hamas

On Saturday, Hamas released four Israeli soldiers, while Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners, marking the second swap since the ceasefire deal took effect on January 19.

However, tensions have flared when Israel accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement by failing to hand over Arbel Yehud, a civilian, as part of the exchange. Israel claimed that the failure to meet this condition had prevented the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza, where many had been waiting for clearance to proceed.

Hamas rejected the accusation, blaming Israel for procrastination and warning that such delays could affect future phases of the three-stage deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar.

More wait for displaced Palestinians

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that residents of Gaza would not be able to return to the north as planned. In addition to the issue of Yehud's release, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages still alive, further complicating the situation. As a result, Israel decided to postpone the approval for Gazans to cross into northern Gaza.

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians, many carrying their belongings, had gathered along the two roads connecting the southern and northern Gaza Strip in anticipation of the green light to return.

Many spent the night in their vehicles, lighting fires to keep warm. Despite efforts by mediators in Egypt to resolve the deadlock, no progress was made, according to reports from Saudi state-owned channel Al Arabiya.

The prisoner exchange on Saturday also included the release of four Israeli women—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—who had been taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

The October 7 attack killed over 1,200 people in one of the bloodiest days in Israel’s history. In retaliation, Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 47,000 people, according to Hamas-run health ministry figures, although these numbers do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2 million residents, reducing much of the region’s infrastructure to rubble.