Beirut, Feb 13: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be cancelled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the move was unanimously approved by his Cabinet Ministers during a four-hour meeting held in the afternoon, Xinhua news agency reported.
Under the decision, “if Hamas does not return our hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated,” he said.
All of Israel’s Cabinet Ministers welcomed US President Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan and his ceasefire ultimatum, the Prime Minister added.
