Hamas Officials Say Israel Delaying Aid Delivery to Gaza, May Affect Hostages' Release

Palestinians queue as they wait to collect drinking water, amid shortages of drinking water, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip January 4, 2024. REUTERS/Saleh Salem
Palestinians queue as they wait to collect drinking water, amid shortages of drinking water, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip January 4, 2024. REUTERS/Saleh Salem
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Hamas Officials Say Israel Delaying Aid Delivery to Gaza, May Affect Hostages' Release

Palestinians queue as they wait to collect drinking water, amid shortages of drinking water, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip January 4, 2024. REUTERS/Saleh Salem
Palestinians queue as they wait to collect drinking water, amid shortages of drinking water, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip January 4, 2024. REUTERS/Saleh Salem

Two Hamas officials on Wednesday accused Israel of delaying the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to Gaza, as agreed in the ceasefire deal, and warned that it could impact the release of hostages.

"We warn that continued delays and failure to address these points (delivery of key aid) will affect the natural progression of the agreement, including the prisoner exchange," a senior Hamas official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group had asked mediators to intervene in the issue.an ad.

Hamas officials said Israel was failing to send key aid items - such as fuel, tents, heavy machinery and other equipment - into the Gaza Strip, as agreed for the first stage of the ceasefire that took effect on January 19.

"According to the agreement, these materials were supposed to enter during the first week of the ceasefire," the senior Hamas official said.

"There is dissatisfaction among the resistance factions due to the occupation's procrastination and failure to implement the terms of the ceasefire, particularly regarding the humanitarian aspects."

The two officials said the group raised the issue during an ongoing meeting with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Wednesday.

"We hope and call on the mediators and guarantors to do everything possible to ensure that the occupation implements the terms of the agreement and allows the entry of these materials," the senior official said.

The latest warning by Hamas comes as the group is expected to release three hostages on Thursday, including two women.

A further three hostages are set to be released on Saturday.

Israel and Hamas are currently implementing the first 42-day phase of a ceasefire that aims to end the war in Gaza.

Under the deal, seven Israeli hostages have already been released in exchange for 290 prisoners -- almost all of them Palestinian, except for one Jordanian.



Hezbollah Chief Says Israel Must Fully Withdraw from Lebanon by February 18

 A photo taken from the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Hamam shows smoke rising after an explosion during an Israeli army operation in the village of Kfar Shouba near the border on February 16, 2024. (AFP)
A photo taken from the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Hamam shows smoke rising after an explosion during an Israeli army operation in the village of Kfar Shouba near the border on February 16, 2024. (AFP)
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Hezbollah Chief Says Israel Must Fully Withdraw from Lebanon by February 18

 A photo taken from the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Hamam shows smoke rising after an explosion during an Israeli army operation in the village of Kfar Shouba near the border on February 16, 2024. (AFP)
A photo taken from the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Hamam shows smoke rising after an explosion during an Israeli army operation in the village of Kfar Shouba near the border on February 16, 2024. (AFP)

The head of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Sunday that Israeli troops must withdraw from Lebanese territory in full by a February 18 deadline, saying it had "no pretext" to maintain a military presence in any post in southern Lebanon.

Under a truce brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon where they had waged a ground offensive against fighters from Iran-backed Hezbollah since early October.

That deadline was later extended to February 18, but Israel's military requested that it keep troops in five posts in southern Lebanon, sources told Reuters last week.

In a recorded televised speech, Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem said: "Israel must withdraw completely on Feb. 18, it has no pretext, no five points or other details... this is the agreement."

Qassem said any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after February 18 would be considered an occupying force.

"Everyone knows how an occupation is dealt with," Qassem said, without explicitly threatening that his group would resume attacks against Israel.

Israel's public broadcaster said on Wednesday the US had authorized a "long term" Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon.

During the broadcast of Qassem's speech, at least three Israeli air strikes hit Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley. Israel's military said it conducted strikes after identifying Hezbollah activity at sites containing rocket launchers and other weapons.

Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut.

Lebanese authorities banned the flights from landing until February 18 following Israeli accusations that Tehran was using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah.

The decision stranded dozens of Lebanese nationals in Iran, where they had been on a religious pilgrimage with plans to return via Iran's Mahan Air. Lebanon sent two of its own planes to retrieve them, but Iran barred them from landing in Tehran.

Hezbollah organized a protest outside Beirut airport on Saturday, where its supporters were tear gassed by Lebanese troops.

Qassem described Lebanon's ban on Iranian planes as "the implementation of an Israeli order".

"Let the plane land and we will see what Israel will do," he said.