Jerusalem/Gaza (February 14, 2025): Hamas has announced that it will release three captives from Gaza on Saturday as planned, following mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar. However, Israel has warned that if the captives are not freed alive, military operations in Gaza will resume.
Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou dismissed the threats from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, saying they do not contribute to implementing the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that 48,239 people have been killed and 111,676 wounded since Israel launched its military campaign in response to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. The Government Media Office in Gaza has updated its death toll to 61,709, accounting for thousands still missing under the rubble and presumed dead.
A senior UN official described the devastation in Gaza as akin to “a massive earthquake” and stressed the need to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel reported 1,139 deaths in the October 7 attacks, with more than 200 people taken hostage. The ongoing ceasefire remains fragile, with both sides warning of potential escalation.
Source: Al Jazeera
