Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military not to begin a ceasefire in Gaza, which is due to start at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) until Hamas releases the names of the prisoners, his office said.
“The prime minister has instructed the IDF that the ceasefire, which is due to take effect at 8:30 a.m., will not begin until Israel has the list of those released that Hamas has promised to provide,” his office said in a statement on Sunday.
In a statement shortly after, Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons.” It said it was committed to the ceasefire agreement announced last week.
Al Jazeera’s Stephanie Decker, reporting from Amman, said there was “so much international pressure” on both Hamas and Israel that it would be “very difficult” to see how a ceasefire, especially in the first phase, would not go ahead.
“Is there any possibility of a delay at this point? I am absolutely certain that Qatar will put incredible pressure on Hamas, if indeed these names have not been handed over yet,” she said.
“But Hamas has reiterated that it is committed to a ceasefire, and then it will hand over these names as soon as possible.”
Netanyahu’s warning came hours after a speech in which he said Israel retained the right to resume fighting in Gaza, and that it had US support to do so if the second phase of the ceasefire was unsuccessful.
The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire is due to see the return of a total of 33 hostages from Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Israeli forces should withdraw to a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return to their homes. Humanitarian aid should also be increased in the devastated area.
This is only the second ceasefire in the war, longer and more fruitful than the week-long pause a year ago, with the potential to end the good fight.
Talks on a much more difficult second phase of the ceasefire are due to begin in just two weeks. Key questions remain, including whether fighting will resume after the six-week first phase and how to free the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza.
Israel’s cabinet approved the ceasefire in an extraordinary session on Saturday during the Jewish Sabbath, more than two days after the mediators announced the deal.
The warring parties have been under pressure from both the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump to reach a deal before the US presidential inauguration on Monday.