Confusion and mistrust hang over efforts to save ceasefire

Gaza’s ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas seemed to be trembling since its entry into force on January 19, but now seems to be the closest to completely collapse.

An upper Egyptian source told the BBC that regional mediators Egypt and Qatar “intensified their diplomatic efforts to try to recover the cease-fire agreement”.

A high -level delegation of Hamas has now arrived in Cairo for interviews “to contain the current crisis,” Hamas official at the BBC told. He reiterated his group’s “all commitment” to the terms of the agreement.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end and the [Israeli military] will resume intense fights. “”

However, there have been mixed messages to find out if he means that the 76 hostages still in Gaza – in accordance with the Ultimatum with high issues recommended by US President Donald Trump.

Trump reacted to a threat from Hamas to derail the agreement on Monday.

He complained of Israeli ceasefire violations, in particular concerning help, and warned that she would delay the release of the hostages on Saturday.

During last week, the president’s new radical plan for an American takeover of Gaza – without its two million Palestinian residents – also changed the context of the ceasefire that his administration contributed to negotiating.

Wednesday, the White House reaffirmed Trump’s plan, while admitting that The king of Jordan Abdullah II had rejected the idea during the talks in Washington One day earlier.

“The king would prefer that the Palestinians remain in place,” said the press secretary of the White House, Karoline Leavitt. “But the president believes that it would be much better and more majestic if these Palestinians could be moved to safer areas.”

So what more do we know about what happened behind the scenes?

Regarding the results of the meeting of the Israeli security firm of four on Tuesday, Israeli journalists admitted a perplexity for contradictory and confusing information sessions.

After the Israeli Prime Minister’s video message demanded the release of “our” hostages, the first reports – citing a senior name without name – said that it was referring to the three original male hostages that were to be released.

It was then said that Israel expected the last nine living hostages planned to release in the first phase of six weeks of the ceasefire to be released, which is supposed to see a total of 33 captives given given .

The main ministers then started to weigh. Miri Regev – A close ally of Netanyahu – said on X, the decision was “very clear” and echoed Trump’s request. She said: “By Saturday, everyone will be released!”

The Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – who threatened to leave the Netanyahu coalition, who threatened to leave Netanyahu’s coalition if there is no return to the fighting at the end of the ceasefire agreement The six -week fever – went even further.

On social networks, he proposed to tell Hamas to release all the hostages or if “the doors of hell” opened, without fuel, water or humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

He said that there should only be “fire and sulfur” of war and Israeli tanks, the band was completely occupied and its population expelled.

“We have all the international support for this case,” he said.

His comments indicate how Trump’s post-war vision for Gaza has strengthened the extreme right in Israel.

It is said that the Israeli security chiefs who have negotiated the current cease-fire agreement and believe that its collapse will endanger the life of hostages.

The Israeli media reports that they are pressure for a means of bringing the following three captives organized by Hamas on time on weekends.

The families of the hostages and their supporters were alarmed by the latest developments, as well as the Las of the War Gazans.

The fact that the head of Hamas for Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, directs a delegation to follow the implementation in Cairo, shows that the armed group also tries to recover the cease-fire agreement on the right track.

Since January 19, the agreement has seen a total of 16 Israeli hostages brought home in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Five Thai agricultural workers have also been released.

At the same time, Israeli troops withdrew just inside the Gaza perimeter, including along the Egyptian border.

The relative calm allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their own districts and caused a wave of humanitarian aid.

However, the current impasse stems from the claim of Hamas according to which Israel did not maintain its promises for the first phase of the truce.

He indicates that this forced the Israeli authorities to authorize around 300,000 tents and 60,000 caravans in Gaza.

With so many people who return to the ruins of their houses – in cold and wet weather – such shelters have been desperately necessary.

The fuel and the generators are also in shortage – especially in the north of Gaza – where they are urgent, especially for water pumps and bakeries.

It is difficult to verify exactly what went to the band.

According to the figures cited by the UN, “since the entry into force of the ceasefire, 644,000 people through Gaza have received a shelter, including tents, waterproofing materials and tarpaulins”.

Israeli military organization Cogat said that Israel was “attached to and fulfills its obligation to facilitate the entry of 600 humanitarian aid trucks in the Gaza Strip every day”.

He added: “According to the data we have, since the entry into force, hundreds of thousands of tents have entered the Gaza strip.”

Despite the contradictory accounts, it can be assumed that the problems on the aid that Israel authorizes in Gaza could be resolved by the mediators.

“Cairo and Doha urge all parties to join the agreement in the midst of political complexities and on the ground that make the task more difficult,” the main Egyptian source told the BBC.

“The continuation of the ceasefire is in the interest of all, and we warn that the collapse of the agreement will lead to a new wave of violence with serious regional repercussions.”

Even if the immediate crisis can be overcome this weekend, it will always leave the next step in unresolved ceasefire talks.

The first phase of the agreement is supposed to end in March, unless Hamas and Israel accept an extension. So far, negotiations on this subject have been put off.

The Israeli Prime Minister delayed discussions on the next phase in the middle of the pressure of his power coalition and increasing evidence during the ceasefire which – in contradiction with his war objectives – Hamas remains a political force and important military in Gaza.

During hostage transfers and aid distribution, Hamas sought to project an image of its own power.

Although he previously pointed out the desire to share power with other Palestinian factions, it always seems unlikely to disarm.

In addition to that, Trump doubles his idea of ​​transforming Gaza into a Mediterranean travel destination – after having moved those who live there in Jordan and Egypt – caused a shock and indignation in the Arab world.

Egypt says that it has formulated its own full Gaza reconstruction plan – which will not imply the Palestinians leaving their land.

The leaders of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia should meet before a conference in Cairo on February 27.

The current dispute on the future of Gaza adds to confusion and the feeling of deep distrust in the midst of efforts to solve current problems.

Additional Wael Hussein reports in Cairo