Israel is exposing truce deal to ‘grave danger’, Hamas says

Hamas accused Israel on Sunday of jeopardising the Gaza ceasefire agreement after the government delayed the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners due to be freed after Hamas released six Israeli captives on Saturday. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said the prisoner release would be delayed until Hamas ends its "humiliating ceremonies" while freeing Israeli captives.

"By postponing the release of our Palestinian prisoners according to the phase one ceasefire agreement, the enemy government is acting rampantly and exposing the entire agreement to grave danger," senior Hamas official Basem Naim said in a statement.

Naim also called on mediators "especially the Americans... to pressure Netanyahu and his government to implement the agreement as it is and immediately release our prisoners".