Palestinians fear more war after Trump threatens Gaza

'We're already in hell', says resident of strip as US president warns of backlash if Israeli hostages are not freed on Saturday

- BEL TREW

Palestinians in Gaza have said they "are already living in hell" after Donald Trump vowed to cancel a truce if Hamas does not release all hostages this weekend, as the fragile ceasefire teetered on the verge of collapse.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern parts of the besieged strip in recent weeks, camping in the rubble of their homes and still reeling from the loss of dozens of extended family members.

With the deal on a knife-edge, Mr Trump said "all hell will break out" if the hostage release at the weekend did not go as planned. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed Mr Trump's threat, saying Israel will resume “intense” fighting in Gaza if all hostages were not freed at the weekend. Mr Netanyahu said: "The military will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated."

Ali Salama, 72, from Beit Lahia, the most destroyed part of Gaza., said: "There is nothing left in Gaza but sand. Does he want to come and take the sand? The whole of Gaza is already hell; there is nothing else."

On Monday, Hamas said it would delay Saturday's expected release of three Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, including shelling the territory and not allowing in the agreed amount of humanitarian aid.

Israel hit back with counter-accusations of violations, adding that in response, the army had raised "the level of readiness", cancelled leave for combat soldiers, and deployed reinforcements to the border areas with Gaza.

Pouring fuel on the fire, Mr Trump threatened to cancel the agreement if the militants did not release all their captives by midday Saturday, warning "all hell is going to break out".