Tel Aviv [Israel], February 13: The Arab bloc has rejected a proposal to relocate Palestinians to allow the US to take over Gaza, while Israel has threatened to return to attack Gaza if Hamas fails to return hostages by a weekend deadline.
Under the terms of the Hamas-Israel deal that took effect on January 19, Hamas will exchange hostages in batches for Palestinian prisoners from Israel. So far, the two sides have completed five prisoner-hostage exchanges. However, the deal is in danger of collapsing and pushing Gaza back into conflict.
Israel's Ultimatum
On February 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an ultimatum: "If Hamas does not release the hostages by noon on February 15, the ceasefire will end, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will resume military operations until Hamas is completely defeated," according to AFP. The statement was made after Netanyahu received the full support of several important ministers, including defense, foreign affairs and national security.
Netanyahu also said he had ordered the military to concentrate its forces in and around the Gaza Strip. However, it was not clear whether Israel wanted Hamas to release all the hostages in Gaza, or just the three who were scheduled to be released on February 15 under the deal.
So far, 16 of the 33 hostages have been released in the first phase of the 42-day deal. This does not include the five Thai hostages who were unexpectedly repatriated. There are still 76 hostages in Gaza, with more than 35 feared dead, Israeli media reported.
Following the Israeli Prime Minister's ultimatum, Hamas issued a statement affirming that it would continue to abide by the spirit of the agreement and accusing Israel of violating its commitments. Yemen's Houthi forces declared their readiness to attack Israel if the IDF abandons the agreement and resumes its military campaign in Gaza.
The Arab bloc's tough response
During a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on February 11, US President Donald Trump also warned that the ceasefire agreement would be canceled if Hamas did not complete the release of all remaining hostages by 12 noon on February 15. The White House owner also mentioned the idea of relocating all Palestinians from Gaza to rebuild the area under US management, but met with opposition from the King of Jordan.
"I reiterate Jordan's firm stance against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is a united Arab position," King Abdullah II said on social media after the meeting. However, the king also said that one of the immediate things the Jordanian government could do was to take in 2,000 sick children from Gaza, including those with cancer.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told Al-Mamlaka TV that Egypt is leading the Arab bloc's plan to rebuild Gaza and ensure Palestinians' safety there. Egypt, a US ally bordering Gaza, has also rejected any proposal to force Palestinians to leave Gaza, Al Qahera News TV reported, citing sources in Cairo.
Then, Reuters yesterday quoted an announcement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry saying it would present a "comprehensive vision for the reconstruction" of Gaza, ensuring that people still have the right to live on their land. Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also warned that President Trump could push the Middle East into a new cycle of crisis if he moves forward with his ambition to own Gaza.
A UN report released on February 11 estimated that more than $53 billion would be needed to rebuild Gaza and end the "humanitarian catastrophe" in the devastated land. On the same day, the Gaza Health Authority calculated that at least 48,219 people had died since the conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
