Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:22pm on 24 Feb 2025,Monday International
Hamas declared it would not discuss extending the Gaza ceasefire unless Israel releases 620 Palestinian prisoners, as previously agreed. Israel delayed the release, citing Hamas’s “humiliating” hostage handovers. A senior Hamas official warned the deal was in “grave danger” and urged mediators, including the US, to intervene. The ceasefire’s first phase, set to end Saturday, has facilitated hostage-prisoner exchanges and Israeli troop withdrawals. The White House backed Israel’s stance, while Trump’s envoy seeks an extension. With 48,346 deaths in Gaza reported, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the ceasefire’s continuation and the “dignified release of all remaining hostages.”
