Hamas’s armed wing spokesman, Abu Obeida, announced in a statement that the release of Israeli hostages scheduled for next Saturday is postponed "until further notice."

"The handover of Zionist prisoners who were to be released next Saturday will be delayed until further notice, and this until the occupation commits to respect the terms of the agreement," the statement notes, stressing the need for Israel to "fulfill its obligations and retroactively compensate for violations committed over the past weeks."