Hamas pauses Gaza hostage release, upending ceasefire
Hamas postponed the next scheduled hostage release 'until further notice,' accusing Israel of breaking the terms of their ceasefire deal


What happened
Hamas said Monday it was postponing its next release of Israeli hostages "until further notice," accusing Israel of violating the fragile ceasefire in their Gaza war. Israel said Hamas' move violated the ceasefire and instructed Israeli troops to prepare for "any possible scenario in Gaza."
Who said what
Hamas said it made its announcement five days before Saturday's planned swap of three hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to "keep the door open" if Israel stopped shelling Gazans while blocking them from returning home and allowed in the agreed-upon humanitarian aid. An Israeli official told Axios that Hamas could also be responding to President Donald Trump's widely rejected proposal to take ownership of Gaza and permanently relocate its Palestinian residents.
Hamas has freed 16 of 33 Israeli hostages scheduled for release under the first phase of the ceasefire, along with five Thai hostages. Trump said Monday evening that while the decision was up to Israel, if all the hostages weren't returned by noon on Saturday, "I would say cancel" the ceasefire and "all hell is going to break out." Asked for clarification, he said, "Hamas will find out what I mean," and he did not rule out U.S. involvement in any retaliation.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
An Israeli Channel 13 poll released Monday found that 67% of Israelis wanted to proceed to the next phase of the ceasefire deal while 19% did not.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
May 26 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons feature Donald Trump's red tie, Hunter Biden's crypto lament, and one meaning of Memorial Day
-
3 tips for coping with financial stress
The explainer Feel more at peace in an unpredictable economy
-
Crossword: May 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Israel's Western allies pull back amid Gaza escalation
speed read Britain and the EU are reconsidering allegiance with Israel as the Gaza siege continues
-
Trump drops ceasefire demand after Putin call
speed read Following a phone call with Russia's president, Trump backed off an earlier demand that Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine
-
Pro-EU centrist beats Trump acolyte in Romania vote
speed read The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, defeated hard-right nationalist George Simion in the race for Romania's presidency
-
Israel-US 'rift': is Trump losing patience with Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question US president called for an end to Gaza war and negotiated directly with Hamas to return American hostage, amid rumours of strained relations
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talks
speed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 days
speed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
-
Israel's plan to occupy Gaza
In Depth Operation Gideon's Chariots will see Israel sending thousands of troops into Gaza later this month to seize control of the strip
-
On VE Day, is Europe alone once again?
Today's Big Question Donald Trump's rebranding of commemoration as 'Victory Day for World War Two' underlines breakdown of post-war transatlantic alliance