Washington DC [US], February 24 : The White House said on Monday that it backed Israel's decision to delay the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners, citing the "barbaric treatment" of Israeli captives by Hamas, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Delaying the prisoner release is an "appropriate response", Al Jazeera quoted a statement from National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes as saying.
US President Donald Trump is prepared to support Israel in "whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas", he added.
Two senior Hamas leaders say the Palestinian group will not engage in further discussions with Israel through mediators until it releases the 620 Palestinian prisoners supposed to be freed on Saturday, as per Al Jazeera.
The remarks came as the Gaza truce talks seem to be in troubled waters as Hamas announced earlier it shut down negotiations until the Palestinian prisoners are released as promised.
Israel postponed the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners despite Hamas setting free six Israeli captives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the captive handover ceremonies in Gaza "humiliating" and accused Hamas of using the captives for "propaganda". Aid groups are questioning Israel's unkept promises under the first phase of the ceasefire, as per Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera reported that the Palestinian Prisoner's Society said that Israel is practising "state terrorism against the prisoners and their families" after it refused to follow its Gaza ceasefire obligations and free 620 inmates.
Egypt and Qatar are reportedly pressing Israel to release the 620 Palestinian prisoners it promised to after Hamas released six captives from Gaza, as per Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu faced new criticism over the war on Gaza while speaking at a military graduation.
As he held up a picture of captives Shiri Bibas and her young boys, Ariel and Kfir, whose remains were returned from Gaza last week, to demonstrate "what we are fighting against", audience members called out, "Shame!" and "Why didn't you save them?" Al Jazeera reported.
Netanyahu warned that Israel is "ready to return at any moment to intensive combat. The operational plans are ready," The Times of Israel reported.
Throughout his address, he promised total victory, The Times of Israel reported.
"All of our hostages, without exception, will return home," he says. "Hamas won't rule Gaza. Gaza will be demilitarized, and its fighting force will be dismantled," The Times of Israel quoted Netanyahu as saying.
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