Live blog: Hamas halts talks with Israel until release of prisoners

Sunday, February 23, 2028

1718 GMT — A Hamas leader has declared that the group would no longer engage in negotiations with Israel until the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Tel Aviv.

Israel was scheduled to free 620 prisoners on Saturday under the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in return for six captives freed by Hamas. Still, the Israeli government delayed the releases, citing what it called "humiliating hostage handovers."

"There will be no talks with the (Israeli) enemy through mediators before the release of the prisoners agreed upon in swap for the six Israeli captives," Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said in a statement.

"The mediators must oblige the enemy to implement the agreement," he added.

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1733 GMT — Israel ready to resume Gaza war, PM warns after truce delay

Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed that Israel was prepared to resume its onslaught on Palestine's Gaza after Hamas accused it of endangering a five-week-old truce by suspending prisoner release.

Netanyahu, speaking at a military ceremony a day after Israel halted the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for six hostages freed from Gaza, vowed to achieve the war's objectives in negotiations "or by other means".

"We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment," he said.

The first phase of the truce, which largely halted more than 15 months of devastating war in the besieged enclave, is due to expire in early March, and details of a planned subsequent phase have not been agreed.

1712 GMT — Israeli tanks move into the occupied West Bank

Israeli tanks have moved into the occupied West Bank for the first time since 2002, shortly after the defence minister said troops would remain “for the coming year” in parts of the territory and indicated that Palestinians who have been displaced cannot return.

Israel launched an offensive in the northern West Bank on January 21 — two days after the current ceasefire in Gaza took hold — and expanded it to nearby areas.

1712 GMT — Israeli army to stay in Syria buffer zone ‘indefinitely’

Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu demanded the "full demilitarisation of southern Syria from troops of the new Syrian regime in the Quneitra, Daraa and Suweyda provinces" and declared that Israeli army forces will remain on the Syrian Hermon Mount "Jabal al-Sheikh" for "an unlimited period of time."

“We will not allow the new Syrian army to move into territory south of Damascus,” he said, claiming that Israel will not tolerate any threats to Druze in southern Syria.

After the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in December, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarised buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

The Israeli army also intensified air strikes targeting Syrian military positions across the country.

1249 GMT — Gaza death toll nears 48,340 as Palestinians find more bodies in rubble

Palestinian medics and rescue teams retrieved 10 more bodies from the rubble in Gaza, pushing the overall death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 48,339.

A Health Ministry statement said that 10 injured people were also admitted to hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the number of the injured to 111,753 in the Israeli onslaught.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the ministry added.

1224 GMT — Israel says army planes fly over Nasrallah's funeral in Beirut

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli Air Force jets flying over the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut were sending a "clear message" to anyone threatening Israel.

"Israeli Air Force planes currently flying over Beirut during the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah are sending a clear message: Anyone who threatens to destroy Israel and attacks Israel –- this will be their end," Katz said in a statement.

Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut in September.

1215 GMT — New school year begins in war-torn Gaza

A new school year has begun in Palestine's Gaza after the suspension of Israel’s 16-month "war of extermination" on the besieged enclave.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education said students will attend sessions "at schools that are still standing, have been renovated and equipped, or through alternative schools and educational points that have been established in many areas."

The ministry affirmed its commitment to ensuring the right to education for the children of Gaza despite the "massive destruction and a severe shortage of resources and capabilities" caused by Israeli onslaught.

1139 GMT — Iran's Khamenei vows 'resistance' to Israel, as funeral underway for Hezbollah

Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei vowed continued "resistance" against Israel, as the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike in September, was underway in Beirut.

"The enemy should know that resistance against usurpation, oppression, and arrogance is not over and will continue until the desired goal is achieved," Khamenei said in a statement published on his official website.

1118 GMT –– Israel's military to prepare for 'extended' West Bank stay

Israel has ordered its military to prepare for an "extended stay" in parts of the occupied West Bank, the Israeli defence minister said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to carry out an "intensive" offensive in the occupied West Bank following explosions on buses close to Tel Aviv on Thursday.

But he was quick to pull the guns in jiffy and blame Palestinians in the occupied West Bank for the blasts.

Israeli security agency Shin Bet has reportedly arrested three suspects, including at least one Jewish Israeli, suspected of driving "apparent terrorists" who set off three bombs on buses in the Tel Aviv suburbs last week.

1035 GMT — Israeli opposition leader accuses Netanyahu of violating Gaza ceasefire deal

An Israeli opposition leader accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of violating a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement after delaying the release of Palestinian detainees.

“Netanyahu ordered the delay in the release of the prisoners, blatantly violating the agreement and sabotaging the first phase, just as we warned,” Yair Golan, leader of the Israeli Democratic Party, said on X.

“There are no actual negotiations for the second phase, only deceit and abandonment of the lives of the captives,” he said.

Golan, a vocal critic of Netanyahu’s government, vowed that the Israeli opposition will not allow the prime minister to remain in office “at the expense of our brothers and sisters.”

“I say to you, Bibi, if you sabotage the deal, all hell will break loose,” he stated.

1032 GMT — Israeli hostage family asks Netanyahu government not to attend funeral

The family of returned slain hostage Shiri Bibas has rejected the attendance of any Israeli government officials at the funeral of hers and her two children, according to Israeli media on Sunday.

According to the Israeli news website Walla, the Bibas family told the government that they don’t want any government representative present at the funeral.

Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel will represent the government at the funeral of returned slain captive Oded Lifshitz, which will be held on Tuesday.

On Friday, the Bibas family accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of abandoning the hostages during the Gaza war and failing to return them alive.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Saturday that the Bibas family had not received any official information from the government regarding the circumstances of their killing.

0924 GMT — Israeli air strikes target southern Lebanon ahead of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah's funeral

Israeli warplanes conducted air strikes targeting six southern Lebanese towns, hours before a mass funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and despite an ongoing ceasefire.

The Israeli attacks targeted the towns of Zrariyeh, Zibqin, Al-Qlaiaah, Jannata, Deir Qanoun Al Naher, and Maaroub, sources s aid.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes, claiming that they targeted Hezbollah rocket sites in southern Lebanon.

A military statement claimed that several rocket platforms were destroyed in the attacks, which coincided with the arrival of participants for the funeral of Nasrallah and senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine in Beirut’s Camille Chamoun Sports City.

0914 GMT — Israel deploys tanks in occupied West Bank for 1st time in over two decades

For the first time in over two decades, the Israeli army deployed tanks in the occupied West Bank amid military escalation in the occupied territory.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the deployment of tanks was part of “broader preparations for an expansion of military operations in the northern West Bank.”

It marked the first time since 2002 when the Israeli army deployed tanks as part of the army’s Operation Defensive Shield in the West Bank.

0734 GMT — Israel delaying prisoner release violates Gaza deal — Hamas

The Palestinian resistance group has condemned Israel's decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, saying its claim that the hostage handover ceremonies are "humiliating" was false and a pretext to evade Israel's obligations under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu's decision reflects a deliberate attempt to disrupt the agreement, represents a clear violation of its terms, and shows the occupation's lack of reliability in implementing its obligations," Ezzat El Rashq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement.

2353 GMT — Delay of Palestinians release due to deal guarantees — Israel

The Israeli prime minister's office said that the release of Palestinian prisoners planned for Saturday was delayed until the release of the next hostages is secured and "degrading ceremonies."

The statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office came as vehicles apparently carrying prisoners left the open gates of Ofer prison, only to turn around and go back in.

2218 GMT — Libyan speaker urges establishing Arab-Islamic fund to rebuild Gaza

Libyan House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh urged the establishment of the Arab-Islamic Fund to develop and reconstruct besieged Gaza, with contributions from states, organisations, banks and investment companies.

"Today we meet amid the most dangerous attempts to eradicate the Palestinian cause, following the physical annihilation our people in Gaza have endured over the past 15 months, during which the world witnessed firsthand the killing of thousands of defenceless civilians —men, women and children — and the destruction and burning of their property," said Saleh.

The speaker added: "From this platform, I call on Arab governments, with the participation of Islamic countries and international organisations, to establish the Arab-Islamic Fund for the Development and Reconstruction of Gaza, managed by a trustworthy body capable of the highest level of responsibility and competence."

2158 GMT — Israel's delay in releasing Palestinian prisoners 'terrorism and abuse': Rights group

Israel's delay in releasing detainees in the seventh batch of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas constitutes "organised terrorism and abuse of prisoners," the Palestinian Prisoner Society said.

The group said it is "carried out by the occupation against the freed prisoners and their families, especially amid the bitter cold."

"The occupation has not left any tool of humiliation, abuse, or torture unused against the prisoners and their families," it added.

2150 GMT — Israeli army fires on car in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

The Israeli army fired on a car in one of the towns of the Marjayoun district in the Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon, causing it to catch fire.

The incident comes as part of continuous violations of a ceasefire agreement by Israel since it took effect on November 27, 2024.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that "the Israeli army fired on a car at the outskirts of the town of Houla in Marjayoun, causing it to catch fire," without clarifying if there were casualties.

For our live updates from Saturday, February 22, 2025, click here.