- US State Department warned countries of planned Hamas attack on Palestinians violating ceasefire
- The planned Hamas attack would undermine progress made through mediation efforts in Gaza peace deal
- Israeli Defense Forces confirmed Hamas returned remains of two Israeli hostages under the agreement
The US State Department said it informed countries involved in the Gaza peace agreement that an attack by Hamas is being planned against Palestinians and that it would be a violation of the ceasefire deal.
The planned attack would “undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” according to a release Saturday by the State Department that offered no details of the “credible reports” it cited.
The State Department declined to comment on the statement. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” the department said.
Earlier Saturday, the Israeli Defense Forces said that Hamas returned the remains of two dead Israeli hostages as part of the agreement between the militant group and Israel that was hammered out earlier this month with regional allies in Egypt.
Earlier this week, Hamas executed Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel.
The public killings, shared on Hamas-linked channels, marked a new wave of violence after Israel's partial withdrawal from Gaza.
President Donald Trump had warned Hamas earlier in the week of a harsh response if the killings continued.
“If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday.
Watch LIVE TV, Get Stock Market Updates, Top Business, IPO and Latest News on NDTV Profit.
