**Gaza Ceasefire in Doubt Again**
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is facing another crisis. The first stage of the agreement was supposed to end, but it has been delayed indefinitely.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants Hamas to stop using hostages for propaganda. He says they are being used “cynically”. Hamas accuses Israel of disrupting the agreement on purpose.
This is not the first time there have been problems with the ceasefire. Last week, Israel delayed releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners because Hamas refused to release one Israeli hostage. The issue was eventually resolved when Hamas released another prisoner.
But now, Netanyahu has delayed the exchange of over 600 Palestinians, which is the largest number to be released at once. Hamas says this is a breach of the agreement.
The ceasefire was supposed to be followed by a second phase, where Hamas would release more hostages and Israel would withdraw its forces from Gaza. But that phase has been delayed because of disagreements between the two sides.
Hamas wants Israel to withdraw its forces and end the war before it releases any more hostages. Israel wants Hamas to disarm completely, which Hamas refuses to do.
**Third Phase Still On Track**
Despite the delays, the third phase of the ceasefire is still on track. This phase will focus on rebuilding Gaza and allowing Palestinians to stay in the area during reconstruction.
Arab states are trying to come up with a plan that would allow Palestinians to remain in Gaza instead of being removed. This is a big change from President Trump’s proposal, which suggested removing Palestinians from Gaza.