Israel-Hamas tensions escalate as hostage release stalls

KATHMANDU: Tensions between Israel and Hamas are on the rise again, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of renewed military action if Hamas fails to release hostages.

Hamas recently accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and decided to halt the planned release of hostages.

This has further intensified the conflict. Following this development, former U.S. President Donald Trump proposed an end to the ceasefire, while Netanyahu has issued a final warning, setting a deadline until Tuesday to resolve the issue.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, prompting a large-scale Israeli military response in Gaza.

The violence has claimed over 46,000 lives. To end the bloodshed, a ceasefire agreement was reached on January 15, 2025, and implemented from Jan 19.

Under the agreement, both sides were gradually releasing hostages. On Saturday, Hamas was set to free three Israeli captives but unexpectedly reversed its decision, putting the ceasefire in jeopardy.

Netanyahu has blamed Hamas for breaching the agreement and warned of immediate military action if hostages are not released.

According to international agencies, Hamas still holds 76 Israeli captives.

Meanwhile, the fate of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali citizen taken hostage during the Oct 2023 Hamas attack, remains uncertain.

Despite diplomatic efforts, the Nepalese government has yet to secure his release.