* Ignores Israel’s violation of ceasefire agreement
* ‘We affirm commitment to terms of agreement as long as Israel commits to them’ – Hamas
* Erdogan backs Hamas, says Israel fails to keep promise on Gaza truce
US President Donald Trump has unilaterally set a Saturday deadline for all Israeli captives to be released from Gaza, threatened “all hell”, and saying he would call for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to be canceled.
But Trump completely ignored and feigned ignorance about what led to the suspension of the scheduled release of Israeli captives by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing.
The group spokesperson Abu Obaida in a statement on Telegram cited Israel’s “violations” of the Gaza ceasefire deal and its failure to adhere to the terms of the agreement, including delaying the return of displaced people to Northern Gaza, among others.
The spokesperson said the group remained committed to the agreement “as long as” Israel “abides by its terms.”
But Trump, who apparently condones and encourages Israel’s “violation”, threw caution to the wind, while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, on Monday, threatening that all hell will break out if by Saturday, February 15, all the captives are not released from Gaza.
“But as far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday 12 o’clock — I think it’s an appropriate time — I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump said.
Trump said that “all” the remaining hostages should be freed, “not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”
“We want them all back. I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it, but for myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock — and if they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.”
… Plan to buy and own Gaza
Trump’s deadline came barely days after his controversial proposal to “buy and own” Gaza.
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the war-ravaged enclave should be thought of as a “big real estate site” and other countries in the Middle East could be tasked with handling its redevelopment.
“As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it; other people may do it, through our auspices,” Trump said en route New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl.
“But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back. There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site.”
Trump in his hallucination claimed the displaced Palestinians would prefer not to return to Gaza despite his proposal prompting backlash from Palestinian representatives and much of the international community.
“If we could give them a home in a safer area – the only reason they’re talking about returning to Gaza is they don’t have an alternative. When they have an alternative, they don’t want to return to Gaza”, Trump said.
How Israel violates ceasefire deal: Hamas
“The Zionist occupation continues to stall implementation of the relief and reconstruction process outlined in the ceasefire agreement, and there are humanitarian aid commitments that it has not fully adhered to,” Abu Obaida explained, adding that, “Despite the massive destruction of the healthcare sector, the occupation has not allowed any restoration efforts or the entry of essential medical supplies.”
The spokesman pointed out that fuel deliveries remain far below what was stipulated in the agreement, and the amount reaching Northern Gaza is negligible. “The heavy machinery specified in the agreement has not been allowed in, preventing the retrieval of martyrs’ bodies and hindering the recovery of [hostage] bodies set to be exchanged, especially at the end of this phase.”
Hamas urged the mediators in Qatar and Egypt and the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement to compel the occupation state of Israel to allow the entry of the relief materials as outlined in the agreement immediately. “In particular, tents, fuel, food supplies and heavy machinery are required, while also ensuring an end to all other violations and breaches.”
… Opposition to Trump’s proposal
Hamas, the Palestinian group that governs Gaza, reiterated its opposition to Trump’s proposal on Sunday, calling his latest remarks “absurd”.
“Gaza is not a property that can be bought and sold, and it is an integral part of our occupied Palestinian land,” Izzat al-Risheq, a member of the Hamas political Bureau, said in a statement shared on Telegram.
“Dealing with the Palestinian issue with the mentality of a real estate dealer is a recipe for failure,” al-Risheq added.
“Our Palestinian people will thwart all displacement and deportation plans. Gaza belongs to its people.”
Erdogan backs Hamas, says Israel fails to keep promise on Gaza truce
Turkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan backed the Palestinian resistance group, saying Israel fails to keep its promises “as always” on the ceasefire in Gaza.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday in Putrajaya, Erdoğan repeated calls for Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories and compensate for damages it inflicted in Gaza.
Erdoğan said: “Israel is not fulfilling its commitments related to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”
Türkiye has been fiercely critical of Israel’s brutal offensive and genocide in Gaza. Turkiye and other countries of the world have similarly slammed many Western allies for their wicked support of Israel. It suspended trade relations with Israel in May 2024 in protest and formally applied to join South Africa’s initiative to have Israel tried for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“Türkiye showed leadership on the Gaza issue. No other country did as much as Türkiye on humanitarian aid,” the Malaysian premier told reporters
He also revealed that Malaysia will mobilize the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reconstruct Gaza under its rotating presidency.
On aid deliveries to Gaza, Erdoğan stressed ,”we can overcome this” if all ASEAN members join hands.
Erdoğan is on a four-day visit covering Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan.
____REACTIONS FROM X ____
A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq has described Donald Trump’s latest remarks about Gaza as “absurd”, after the US president said his plan to “take over” the Palestinian territory would not include a right of return for the more than 2 million Palestinians who live there.
“Trump is just casually making major international crimes into policy proposals,” said Janina Dill, the co-director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict. “He just normalizes violating, or proposing to violate, the absolute bedrock principles of international law.”
According to Olanusi Akintoye, “Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Trump is intoxicated with power. He has no regards for International laws neither does he understand that he is operating under a democracy where there are checks and balances. He needs to be checked as soon as possible.
“The World leaders need to curtail the bully posture of Donald Trump especially as regards the current ceasefire in Gaza. The world needs peace and not war.”
“Trump’s ignorance and arrogance are no laughing matter. Because he is now US president, and therefore very powerful, those two descriptions make him both dangerous & destructive,” Alice said on X.
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