Release hostages or war resumes - Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not release more hostages by noon on Saturday, endorsing a threat by Donald Trump that could shatter the three-week-old ceasefire.

- Andrew Roth

The ultimatum by the Israeli prime minister was delivered during a video address posted to social media yesterday. "If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon - the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated," he said.

One day earlier Trump had told reporters: "If all the Gaza hostages aren't returned by Saturday at 12pm, I would say cancel the ceasefire. Let all hell break loose."

Netanyahu's threat came as Trump hosted King Abdullah of Jordan at the White House yesterday for a tense meeting, where the two were to discuss the ceasefire and Trump's plan to "take over" Gaza and expel the region's more than 2 million Palestinians. Trump has said that he could withhold aid from Jordan and Egypt, two US allies, unless they agree to his plan.

In a quick back-and-forth with reporters before a closed-door meeting with Abdullah, Trump in effect endorsed an Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank and said there was "no reason to buy Gaza" because "we're going to take it".

Asked whether Saturday remained his deadline for Hamas to deliver all the hostages, Trump replied: "Yes." It was not clear whether Netanyahu was also demanding that all 76 captives held in Gaza still be released, or just the three hostages scheduled for release on Saturday under the ceasefire. The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for further information.